Only For Tonight Deja Vu and Then Some
by Miss Construed
Summary: It's the girl in the red boots and the cowboy we can't resist revisited. See what happens if "only for tonight" turns into tomorrow and the next day too! AU/AH.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Charlaine Harris owns the characters, I just put them in spurs and Stetson's. Oh and red boots with hearts cutouts!

**SPOV**

I had never done a bad thing in my life. Ever. I never stole lipstick as a teenager, never ditched a class in school; heck, I'd never even run a stop sign. I liked to follow the rules, though look where that got me – 26 years old, single and sitting alone at some random honky-tonk in Tyler, TX; while my best friend was off God knows where with her boyfriend.

I'd gone 25 years without having a boyfriend, or even being kissed. The boys in Bon Temps had always been afraid to date me; afraid of my goody-two shoes reputation, and afraid of what my brother Jason would do to them if he ever caught us together. He'd as much advertised that any man I dated would be dead meat if they upset me.

Don't get me wrong, Jason had the best intentions, but he knew firsthand how guys mistreated their girlfriends, having mistreated nearly every woman over 18 in the parish himself. He wasn't about to let any of the local boys do the same to me. Since our parents had passed, he could beat on his chest as the man of the family, even if he was too busy being called Papa by his latest barely legal conquest to stop by and visit very often.

Jason had been enough to scare off the local boys, and, let me tell you, Bon Temps is not a hopping metropolis with new people coming and going at all times. Heck, before Bill Compton moved into the house across the cemetery from my Gran's house, it'd been two years since anyone new moved to Bon Temps. There was no Jeffersonian moving on up to the east side, just moving on out. Like Gran used to say, the population of Bon Temps never changed – a baby was born, and a man left.

I hadn't known what hit me when Bill Compton had waltzed into my life. He was so unlike the men I was used to. He was sophisticated and appreciated the finer things in life. Okay, sure, he had more hair products in his bathroom and took longer to get ready than I did, but he was a gentleman, and treated me like a lady. It had been a whirlwind romance. He'd asked me out within five days of meeting me at the local bar and restaurant, Merlotte's, and we were practically inseparable from that moment forward. He'd been there for me when Gran had passed, and I'd given myself to him freely not long after. Other than Jason, I was alone in the world. Bill helped fill the void, and I loved him.

I loved him, and he cheated on me.

I had an atomic meltdown when I found out that he hadn't been visiting his sick aunt, but had run to the waiting arms of his ex-girlfriend, Lorena. He'd tried to apologize and make explanations, but I refused to listen. I'd been faithful, so why couldn't he? Right after the incident, my friend Amelia had moved in to Gran's farmhouse with me and helped me get through it all. So, when she asked me to go with her to Tyler to see her boyfriend Tray Dawson in a rodeo, who was I to refuse? It wasn't that long of a trip from Bon Temps, and we loaded into the car and were there in no time.

I wasn't really a fan of the rodeo itself. I could appreciate a Wrangler butt as much as the next girl; but watching a bunch of cocky idiots strap themselves to a bull with its nuts in a bind didn't really do it for me. I'd sat impatiently through the rodeo, happy for the beer that flowed freely and the opportunity to people watch. There's nothing like a rodeo for people watching – the entire audience dressed in their finest (and likely brand new) western attire; hoping that they can be, or catch, a cowboy by donning a hat and a button down shirt that still had the creases from the package.

Dawson, as Tray liked to be called, had done well, winning the buckle for the bulldogging event, which made Amelia feel the need to rush to the honky-tonk and protect her man from the superfluous buckle bunnies that would no doubt follow. We'd been at the honky-tonk for about thirty minutes when Dawson walked through the door with his shiny new belt buckle proudly displayed like a little medal headband for his cock.

"Hello, cowboy," Amelia said with a whistle when she spotted him. His normally serious face broke out in a grin as he spotted her and approached our table with that cocky swagger that all tried and true cowboys walk with. They embraced each other with a passion that would've been fitting if they'd been separated for two years, and not just a couple of hours.

I rolled my eyes at Amelia as she planted herself firmly on his lap and told him, in no uncertain terms, that she didn't want him even looking at any of the buckle bunnies tonight. The girl definitely had him wrapped around her finger. At first, they attempted to include me in the conversation, but the alcohol flowing through their veins took over within minutes, and they were all over each other. I'd never seen Amelia like this in public; looked like she was a bit of a bunny at heart herself.

I sat with them for as long as I could bear it before I decided that I was going to need a whole lot more to drink if I was going to make it through this night. I drained the gin and tonic sitting in front of me in one quick gulp and stood up, cursing the outfit that Amelia had coerced me into wearing. Seriously, I wasn't dressed any better than these other bunnies running around. As soon as we'd checked into our motel, Amelia had handed me a bag, told me to go get changed, and that she wasn't going to listen to any of my arguments. This was her weekend to do as she pleased, and I wasn't to squabble.

Knowing arguments would be futile, I'd pulled on the miniscule jean skirt and red halter top; grateful that I'd been tanning recently and that the shirt afforded me the ability to wear a bra – quite necessary if you're built like I am. It's not that I'm opposed to showing skin, I practically live in a bikini in the summer, I just wasn't used to putting it all out there when I went out for a night. And, as if the outfit itself wasn't bad enough, Amelia had shoved my feet into a pair of red cowboy boots with hearts cut out on the side. That's right. Hearts. I looked like a desperate buckle chaser.

"I'm going to go get another drink," I said, not that they heard me. They were too busy sweeping each other's tonsils for stray mines.

I pushed my way through the throngs of teased hair and drugstore cowboys towards the bar and by some stroke of pure luck, managed to catch the attention of the overworked bartender. I ordered two drinks, downing one quickly and started on the next when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"You might want to slow down there darlin'," a deep voice said in my ear with a drawl that, okay, maybe made me a little weak in the knees. I whirled around quickly – too quickly. I slammed into the hard wall of a body that had been behind me and, while I'd been able to steady myself, my second drink wasn't as fortunate and was now helping the floor get drunk.

"Shit," I mumbled, as I realized that the floor wasn't the only thing coated in gin. I looked up, ready to lay into the man who had interrupted my love affair with Tanqueray. I'll be honest, once I did get a good look at him; I had to take a moment to steady myself. Standing there before me was the best looking man I'd ever seen. He was tall, easily a head taller than any of the other little cowboy rugrats running around here, with what appeared to be blond hair under his chocolate brown Stetson and a pair of blue eyes I could easily lose myself in for days. Oh yes, the man was good looking and, judging by the smirk on his face, he was well aware of his effect on the fairer sex.

"Cat got your tongue?" he asked with a lopsided grin as he stepped closer to me; so close that I felt the brush of the rough denim against my naked legs.

"No," I said defiantly. "More like I have nothing to say to the man responsible for making me all wet and sticky."

"Is that so? That quickly?" he asked with a smirk. _Shit_. I felt myself flush with embarrassment.

"From the drink," I eked out.

His head fell back as he let out a loud laugh, exposing every inch of his throat. _I wonder what he would do if I leaned forward and licked it… _No. No, I was not going to think of this man like that.

"We'll see about that," he said with a wink, before continuing in a very business-like fashion, "I reckon it _is_ my fault that you're drinkless, even if I've gotta be grateful for the opportunity to buy you a new one."

Was he really flirting with me? I mean, yes, obviously the whole "wet and sticky" thing had been flirty, but I'd walked into that one. I swallowed visibly and steeled my resolve to behave. Men like this, like my brother Jason, knew that they could use their good looks to have women tripping over themselves. I wasn't going to be another easy target, no matter how attractive I thought he was.

"I can't say I'm grateful that you spilled my drink all over me, but I guess I can let you buy me another one so I can go back to my friends."

He looked at me skeptically before shrugging and leaning over me to set his empty beer bottle on the bar behind me. I felt my breath catch in my throat as his scent filled my nostrils. The man, whoever he was, smelled exactly as a man should – musky and earthy. There was nothing metrosexual about this guy; I was sure that he didn't travel around with a loofa and lavender sachets like Bill had. I inhaled his aroma and forced myself to stifle the groan of appreciation I felt bubbling in my throat.

His body lingered close to mine, not quite touching. I thought I would go all Wicked Witch of the West and melt right there. I was not used to men having this effect on me. I didn't like it. Not at all. I stepped to the side, distancing myself from the stranger in the hat as best as I could. He smiled and took the opportunity to take a step forward, so he was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with me at the bar.

"What are you drinking?" he asked as he flagged down the bartender.

"Gin and tonic."

"I like a woman who appreciates a good drink," he said with a lopsided smile and put in our drink order. "Two gin and tonics."

The cowboy trained his gaze on my face and watched me in silence as we waited for the bartender to make our drinks. I shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do when he was looking at me like that. I felt the anxiety rise in my throat and felt the unrelenting need to get out of there, to get away from this man who could make me so uncomfortable with one look.

"Well, thanks," I said with a curt nod, and turned on my heel to head back to the table. Amelia and Dawson may be ignoring me, but I'd take that over the way this man made me feel any day. I thought I was away safe and clear when I felt a large warm hand wrap around my wrist and pull me backwards until I ran into a wall that was unmistakably his chest.

"You forgot your drink," the voice said in my ear, his hot breath sending tingly sensations throughout my body. I shut my eyes and sighed. Of course I would need to turn around. "You running away from me?"

I spun around to face the man indignantly. "I'm not running away from you," I said with a scowl. "I'm returning to my friends I came here with."

"I'm sure they won't miss you for too long," he said, and looked down at me with mirth filled eyes.

"Either way," I said, "they are who I am here with."

"They don't have to be who you leave with," the man leered with a wink.

"Is that so?" Did he really think that I was going to respond positively to that? Okay, I was dressed like I would, I could give him that, but I was fairly sure my attempt to leave earlier should've been clue enough that I wasn't too interested in him, even if my body was begging me otherwise.

"That's so," he responded. "I spotted you when I arrived; I've been watching you all night."

"Is that supposed to be attractive? You've been acting like my own personal stalker all night? Am I supposed to be turned on by that?"

He chuckled, "I reckon most of the women in here would take that as a compliment."

"I'm not most women." I looked down at my wrist, still encircled by his large hand, and pulled free.

"No, you are not. But I don't make offers like that to just any woman."

"You honestly think you can just walk up to me, give me some of that sweet talk, and get me to go home with you?" Who did this man think he was?

He shrugged. "It's worth a try. I've been kinda lucky today." Oh God, why did he have to give me that sexy smile right then? My body was screaming at me to stay, but I refused to give in.

"Well, looks like your luck has run out." I picked up the drink on the bar and raised it in mock salute. "Thanks for the drink."

The man laughed and nodded his head at me. Well, at least he had a good sense of humor. Jason probably would've throttled a woman that had rejected him so publicly.

"I'll be here if you change your mind," he called out after me as I walked away.

I was sure he would be.

When I finally made my way back to the table, Amelia and Dawson were missing. How they disappeared in so short a time, I couldn't tell you. I sat and waited for them for fifteen minutes, doing my best to keep my eyes diverted from the blond cowboy to no avail. He was everywhere I looked, flirting and winking at the women who were throwing themselves at him. He looked like a real cowboy, and not one of the drugstore types roaming about; I wondered if he'd competed today. I chastised myself for even thinking about him and resolved to push him out of my thoughts.

I felt my phone vibrate in my purse and quickly pulled it out to find a text message from Amelia that she and Dawson had headed back to the motel for a little reconnecting. Fan-fucking-tastic. They'd left me here, alone, and well on my way to being drunk.

I gathered my things and made my way to the door, determined that I'd find a way back to the motel and into bed any way that I could. I stepped into the cold night air and took a deep breath, looking around for any taxis in the area. There weren't any. Of course.

I was weighing my options when I felt my phone vibrate again. Without even looking at the caller ID, I answered.

"Hello?"

"Sookie, baby," the voice on the other end cooed. Great. This is just what I needed to cap off a disaster of a night.

"What do you want Bill?" I asked impatiently. He hadn't tried to contact me in weeks, something I was grateful for. God only knows what he wanted now.

"Baby, I miss you."

"Bill, it's 12:30, what are you doing calling me? Have you been drinking?"

"Naw baby," he said in the voice that I once had thought of as sexy, but now made my skin crawl. "I just miss you."

"Bill, I've told you, I don't want to have this conversation with you. You made your choice. You chose Lorena. That's all there is to it."

"Stop being such a hard bitch Sookie," he said impatiently, "I said I'm sorry. We need to move on."

"I've moved on already Bill. You're the one who hasn't. You need to leave me alone."

"You've moved on?" he scoffed. "I'm real sure. Little virgin Sookie, who didn't know what in the hell she was doing, moved on? I'd bet that you haven't even looked at another man, much less been with one."

"Go to hell Bill," I said, but he continued to taunt.

"Oh, there's that attitude that makes the men flock to you. Screw that, I don't know what I was thinking calling you. I want a real woman, one who knows how to please a man. You'd think with a rack like yours, you'd know what to do to in the sack, and not just lay there like a -"

I hung up before he could continue. I was not about to have my sexual skills berated by a man who had cheated on me. Screw him. Screw that. I was fully capable of attracting a man. I'd gotten plenty of attention when I'd been inside. I could get a man if I wanted to. Heck, I could have that God of a man with the flick of my finger if I was so inclined.

My phone began to vibrate again and I saw Bill's familiar number flash on my screen. Did he really think I was stupid enough to answer again? Fat chance. I turned my phone off and stood outside, rooted in place, unsure of what I wanted to do next. What I needed was another drink; one more to help erase the memory of that asshole of an ex-boyfriend.

With nothing better to do, and no way to get back to the motel, I turned around and headed back into the loud smoky bar. I kept my head down as I made my way to the bar, ignoring the lewd suggestions as I passed a table of rowdy rough-stockers. I giggled to myself as I had a mental image of them dressed up like little Oompa Loompas. They were about the right size.

I found an empty stool at the bar and had ordered another drink when I felt a hand tap me on the shoulder. I felt my breath catch in my throat and cursed myself for being hopeful that Mr. Tall, Blond and Sexy had come back for a second round. Boy, was I sorely disappointed when I spun around to find one of the Oompa Loopmas in front of me - the head Oompa Loompa judging by his stance.

"Hey there sexy," he leered, stepping too close for comfort, "what's a good looking lady like yourself doing here alone in a joint like this?"

Oh God. I really didn't have the patience to deal with this.

"I'm trying to enjoy a drink," I said in a tone that I hoped would be off-putting. It wasn't.

"I'm Quinn," he said, and stepped closer, nudging my legs with his body in an effort to get between them. "You're just about the prettiest little thing I've ever seen."

"Thank you, I guess," I said and placed a hand on his chest, pushing him away from me slightly while trying to maintain the manners my Gran had instilled in me.

He grabbed my wrist and pushed it aside, stepping forward until his face was inches from my own. "You lookin' for a real man?"

"Is there one around here?" I asked with a smirk. That did it. Maybe he didn't respond well to physical signs, but one quick insult to his manhood and he stepped back.

"Well fuck," he said, the anger seething in his voice, "I shoulda guessed that you were a fucking prude, even if you're dressed up like all the other whores in here."

"Right. You keep telling yourself that." I jumped up off the barstool, desperate to get away from this man.

I was not a prude. I could be like all the other women in here. I could toss my reservations to the side and enjoy myself for one night. Heck, I was 26 years old and had only ever kissed one man. I fricking owed it to myself to let my hair down, and what better place to do it than another town where I'd probably never see these people again?

I made my way towards the bathroom, and once inside looked at my reflection in the mirror. Despite the discomfort I'd felt when Amelia had shoved me into my outfit and slapped the makeup on my face, I had to admit that I looked good. The dark eyeshadow and liner made my blue eyes look huge, and the blonde curls cascading wildly over my shoulders gave me a sexy, rumpled look. Combine that with my low cut shirt and the tiny skirt, and I looked like I was on the prowl.

Heck, I looked the part, I might as well act it. I had to prove to myself that I was normal; that I was desirable; that I could be like every other woman in the place and have a little fun. If only for tonight.

I'd never have a better opportunity to explore my sexuality, and I knew exactly who I wanted to test my new found prowess on. I could do this. It was one night. I'd never see him again. I mean, this is why Gloria Steinem had donned the Playboy Bunny suit, right? So that future generations of women could be promiscuous? Viva la Sexual Revolution.

I left the bathroom and stopped inside the doorway as I scanned the crowd, looking for my prey. He was easy enough to spot, his height causing him to stick out like a sore thumb. I finished the gin and tonic I'd been clutching in an effort to bolster my confidence before I squared my shoulders and marched over to the man. He was leaning down as a redhead whispered in his ear and pressed her boobs – what little that she had - against his arm. I stopped in front of the two of them and had to stifle a giggle when his eyes looked up and met my own.

"Hey," he said with a smirk, as if he knew I'd come find him. I couldn't wait to see his reaction to what I had in mind.

"Looks like I need someone to go home with," I said. My brain was screaming at me to run away, but I forced myself to stay and look him in the eyes.

His eyes widened in shock once he registered my meaning, and all thoughts of the redhead practically clawing at him were forgotten. He quickly regained his composure.

"Is that so?"

"That's so," I said.

"You think you can just walk up to me, give me some of that sweet talk, and get me to go home with you?" he asked with a smirk, mocking me with my own words.

"I reckon I can. But hey, if you're not interested, I'm sure I can find someone else who is." I spun around on my heel, praying that he'd stop me, and let out a small sigh of relief when I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"Hold up there Bunny," he drawled, spinning me back to face him. He turned to the redhead and gave her a devastating smile. "I guess I've got to be going Arlene," he said with a wink. Arlene looked as if she would've gladly killed me, but left without saying a word.

"What changed your tune darlin'?" he asked as he took a step towards me, his hand still on my shoulder.

"Does it matter?"

He tugged me towards him, until my body was fully pressed against his and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "No, I guess it doesn't."

**EPOV**

I couldn't believe my luck when the hot little blonde came waltzing back up to me and interrupted Arlene's proposition to join her and her friend Dawn back at their motel. Don't get me wrong, I was ready to take her up on the offer, despite my distaste for redheads; but who would be willing to take a nag – even two nags at once - when you had the chance at a prize filly like the blonde who stood in front of me.

I'd noticed her the minute that I walked through the door. She didn't look like your typical buckle chaser, despite her wardrobe choices. There was something innocent about her that you didn't find in most honkytonks after a rodeo, and believe me, I knew the varieties of buckle chasers intimately.

I may have only been rodeoing for a few years, and only in my spare time, but I'd had my share of buckle bunny encounters. They were amusing, sure, and I wasn't going to pass up any offers from women throwing themselves at me, but they were disposable. These women flocked to dive bars after the rodeo in hopes of having the full cowboy experience, of catching the biggest prize of the night, whoever that may be. And tonight, they knew that the biggest prize was me. My team roping partner, Alcide, and I had cemented ourselves in first place nationally by winning the buckle tonight, and there wasn't a better catch than a nationally ranked cowboy at one of these joints. I planned to take advantage of my position fully.

I had never dreamed that I would be a cowboy when my family moved to the States from Sweden. I'd been on a horse before back home, but had never swung a rope, much less been around a steer. And once we were in the States, most guys I met that claimed to be cowboys were assholes with Napoleon complexes. They rodeoed because they were too short to do anything else, and couldn't catch a woman any other way. Believe me, I didn't need the cowboy look to catch the attention of a woman. I did just fine by myself. When I'd met Alcide in college and he'd taken me out to his family's ranch outside of Dallas, I'd been reluctant to give the cowboy thing a go. Add that to the fact that I didn't like to fail at anything, and I wasn't exactly keen on putting myself in a position where I'd experience failure. But, like with most things, I was a natural. I caught the steer on my third try and hadn't left the saddle since.

It became a weekend hobby, and stayed that way for years until a very drunk Alcide decided we should give it a try on the circuit. We'd entered and won our first small rodeo in West Texas, and hadn't stopped; the thrill of the win was too addictive. We'd both been 25 at the time, a little old to be joining the rodeo circuit, but that didn't stop us. We entered every rodeo within a day-trip of Shreveport and quickly racked up the wins and the prize purses. We hadn't been more than weekend warriors until this past year, when we decided to make a run at it before we both turned 30. We were both financially able to take the summer off – Alcide worked for his Dad, who wanted nothing more than a NFR champion for a son, and the bar I owned with my cousin Pam was successful enough that I could leave it in Pam's hands without question.

We'd spent the last summer traveling all over the states, hitting every rodeo along the way, and enjoying the fringe benefits available at honkytonks like this very one in Tyler. Not that I'd never had to work hard to get a woman; they tended to flock towards me. My cousin Pam liked to say that the girls that came into our bar were like vermin, begging to be enthralled. She was right. All I had to do was smile, and they dropped at my feet.

I'd been intrigued by the blonde based on looks alone, and her denial of my advances had only made her more appealing. It'd been ages since I'd had a challenge in that arena and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed when she'd sashayed away from me and gone to sulk at her now empty table. I was propositioned by many a bunny throughout the night, but never took my eyes off the trophy I wanted. I'd felt a twinge of disappointment when I saw her heading towards the door – I'd been biding my time before going in for the attack again, and didn't want to lose the opportunity. I was heading towards the door myself when I saw her come back inside; there was something different about her, an energy pouring off her body that told me something had changed. Maybe I would have a chance with her after all.

I watched as she made her way to the bar and got propositioned by that asshole bull rider John Quinn. I had to stop myself from walking up and punching him in the throat when he nudged her legs apart, but was glad that I didn't when she pushed him away. Some women went for men like that, I was happy to see that my little bunny wasn't one of them.

I lost track of her when Arlene came up and propositioned me. Arlene was a regular on the Texas circuit and had a reputation as the rodeo bicycle – everyone had taken a turn riding her. She'd been chasing after me for months to no avail, but with her sweetening the pot with her friend Dawn, I'd been considering it. All thoughts of giving into Arlene went to the wayside as soon as those words came out of my bunny's sweet little mouth.

"What changed your tune darlin'?" I asked as I took a step towards her.

"Does it matter?" The look she gave me could've scorched the earth. Yes, something had definitely changed. Part of me wanted to know what it was, but the other part of me didn't care. I was going to have fun with this one tonight. I pulled her towards me until our bodies were pressed against one another.

"No, I guess it doesn't," I responded. "What've you got in mind?"

"I thought I told you," she said, and looked up at me coyly from beneath her lashes. Oh yes, she knew what she was doing.

"Just like that?" I asked with a smirk. "You don't even know my name and you are ready to hop in my truck without question?"

"Fine," she said, "what's your name cowboy?"

"Eric," I answered, my head swimming as I felt her breasts brush across my chest. You'd think I was a fourteen year old virgin and not an experienced 29 year old.

"Great. Eric. Nice to meet you." I groaned as she stepped back and extended her hand in my direction. "I'm Sookie. Does that make you feel better?"

How had this turned around? How was I the one feeling like I was being used? And more importantly, why did I care? I should be grateful that this woman, Sookie, had changed her tune.

"Well Sookie," I said as I took her extended hand and shook it, "I reckon I need to be wined and dined a little before I give away the goods."

I laughed at the frown that crossed her face and reached up to brush away a stray curl that had fallen over her eye.

"Let's at least get a drink and have a dance or two before we go running off to…" Well, I would assume my motel, but God only knew with a woman like this.

"Fine," she said, and rolled her eyes. "If that's how you want to play it, that's how we'll play it." She grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the bar, quickly ordering and turning back to face me when our drinks were delivered. "I guess this is where we have small talk?" I nodded at her. "Tell me Eric, what do you do?"

Did she really not know who I was? The thought that she was interested in me, and not what I represented, was a welcome relief. I hadn't thought it had bothered me, being chased for my buckle, but apparently it did.

"I own a bar."

"Not a cowboy then?" she asked with a smirk as she reached up and tipped my hat back.

"I rope a bit."

"Any good?" Her hand traced its way down my face and neck before resting on my chest.

"I do okay," I responded, and covered her hand with my own. "You lookin' for a champion Sookie?"

She shrugged. "I don't care about all of that." She tossed back the rest of her drink and grabbed my hand. "You ready to dance cowboy?"

I nodded, and lead her out to the dance floor as the band played a fast song. I was a pretty good dancer, and could two-step with the best of them. Our bodies twisted around each other, brushing and separating to the rhythm of music. Every minute with this woman turned me on more, the flush that rose in her cheeks from the exertion of dancing made me wonder what she'd look like naked and on top of me. I needed to feel her against me, and was happy when the band took a break and the strains of Dierks Bentley's _Come A Little Closer_ came across the sound system.

I beckoned her closer to me with my finger and groaned in appreciation when she willingly pressed herself into my body. Our bodies swayed as one, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. I heard the breath escape from her lips as she relaxed against me and gave herself over to the music, to the sensation of our bodies touching.

The song ended and I reached down to tip her chin up until her eyes met mine. I felt a jolt run through my body as her tongue darted out to wet her lips; I wanted to feel that tongue on my own, to taste her mouth. When I leaned down to kiss her, I'd meant to brush my mouth against hers, but I instinctively deepened the kiss once I got a taste of her. My arms tightened around her as my tongue sought entrance into her mouth and I heard my own groan when her lips parted. I broke the kiss when I heard the opening strains of Toby Keith's _Who's Your Daddy?_ begin. "You ready to get out of here?" I asked, unable to wait any longer. I'd wanted to tease her – she'd as much as told me what she wanted out of me – but even I couldn't resist this pull any longer.

She nodded at me and reached out her hand to clasp mine. I was a man on a mission as I wove through the crowd, pulling her behind me as we headed outside. We were nearly at my truck when I felt her trip and fall into me, her breasts pressing against my back. Something inside of me snapped. I spun around and lifted her into my arms. She was apparently as excited as I was. She wrapped her arms and legs around my body, pressing her center against my erection that was threatening to escape the fly of my jeans, big shiny buckle or not. I moved my hands down to cup her denim-clad bottom as she moaned my name and took my earlobe in her mouth.

"You'll be the death of me Bunny," I said, and ripped open the passenger door of my black Ford. I lifted her until she was seated in the truck sideways, my body still firmly lodged between her legs. My hands roamed freely up her body; I traced every inch of every curve and captured her mouth with my own once again. I heard her groan and let out my own as she sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and broke our kiss to begin running hot, wet kisses down my jaw to my neck.

I ran my hands along her thighs and smiled when I realized that her skirt, tiny as it was, had creeped up her legs further. My fingers gently traced the tops and insides of her thighs and I felt the heat radiating from her before I reached the edge of her panties.

"You like this Bunny?" I asked, and ran my thumb over the seam of her panties. She bit her lip and nodded as I ran my hand firmly against the lace that separated us. This woman was going to drive me crazy. I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in her body, and I may have done it right there in the parking lot if we hadn't been interrupted by a catcall from a cowboy walking into the bar.

Sookie's head snapped up and she pushed me away from her. "Let's get out of here," she said, and turned to pull her seatbelt across her lap.

I didn't need any words of encouragement to get my ass around to the driver's side of the truck. I peeled out of the parking lot and sped back to the motel with little thought of the cops that would undoubtedly be circling the honky-tonk looking for drunk drivers.

By some act of God, we made it back to the motel without being stopped. I barely had the keys out of the engine when I whipped open my door and ran around to pull her out of the truck. I wasn't going to ask her what she wanted to do; I knew what I wanted to do, and unless she protested, nothing would've stopped me.

We didn't say a word to each other as I pulled her up the stairs behind me; didn't say anything until I felt her press her body into my back as I fumbled with the key in the lock. "Bunny," I growled, "unless you want me fuck you in the hallway, I'd suggest you take a step back." I heard her giggle and felt the cool air hit my back as she stepped away.

As soon as the door opened, I pulled her into the room, slammed the door behind us and pressed her against the nearest wall. We didn't bother with the lights. Light from the full Texas moon poured in through the window and cast shadows across the stark motel room. "You are in so much trouble Bunny," I said, and pulled her leg up to wrap around my waist.

"Is that so?" she asked with a laugh, and ground her hips into my own.

In one swift motion, I picked her up and tossed her back onto the waiting bed. I felt frozen in place when she raised herself on her elbows and looked up at me with desire in her eyes. "Are you coming to get me?"

I tossed my hat to the side and growled in response as I followed her onto the bed. I crawled forward until I was resting between her legs, our eyes in line with one another's. She let out a small giggle as her hands roamed across my back and latched onto the pockets of my jeans.

"It's true what they say," she said as she pulled me closer against her center.

"What's that?"

"That Wrangler butts drive me nuts."

I groaned at the cliché, and at the sensation her body was causing in my own.

Her hands left my pockets and snaked to my chest to push me until I was sitting up. She pulled herself up with me and impatiently began to unbutton my shirt, leaning forward to press her mouth against my chest as she released each button. I shrugged out of my shirt and pulled hers over her head in one swift motion; I nearly lost it when I saw the red lacy bra underneath and wondered if she was wearing a matching set. Not being one for patience, I popped the button on her denim skirt and had it off of her in record time. I sat back to admire the woman in front of me, wearing nothing but a red bra, boy shorts and those ridiculous red cowboy boots. Yes, I was happy that I'd held out and waited for her to come back to me. No way Arlene, or her friend, could hold a candle to what lay before me.

She squirmed on the bed, clearly uncomfortable at my assessing gaze as I stood up, kicked out of my boots and unbuttoned the fly on my jeans. I captured her eyes, not breaking contact as I undressed for her; her eyes glazed over with desire as I sank back onto the mattress and pressed my body into hers.

As much as I wanted to take it slow, to pleasure her until she begged me for more, I couldn't. I wanted to devour her, to make her mine as quickly as I could. We rolled together on the bed, stopping only when she pushed me onto my back and straddled me. She raised her body up into a sitting position, and reached behind her to unlatch the hook on her bra.

I watched in silence as she pulled the straps down her shoulders and released her breasts from their binding; our heavy breathing the only sound filling the room. Within seconds, I flipped her onto her back and made quick work of removing her panties. We lay together, the only article of clothing remaining were those boots, and damned if I didn't want to fuck her while she wore them.

I needed more, and I needed it immediately. I pulled away from her and scrambled off the bed in the direction I'd kicked my jeans off. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the foil wrapper that I'd had ready and waiting for a moment like this.

I quickly tore the package open and returned to her waiting arms and captured her mouth one more time before I lifted her hips and eased myself into her. We moved together in perfect rhythm, pushing each other up and over the edge. When we were both sated, I rolled off of her, pulling her with me until we were both on our sides facing each other.

"Is that what you had in mind Bunny?" I asked with a smirk, and tucked her into the crook of my arm.

"I don't think I could've anticipated that cowboy," she responded, and tossed a leg over my body.

We lay there, entwined in each other, and I gently traced the curve of her back as I felt sleep tug at me. I heard her breathing even out and knew she was asleep. I didn't want to go to sleep, didn't want this night to end. There was a lot more that I wanted to do with Sookie, but that could wait until morning.

**SPOV**

I woke up to the bright light streaming through the window of an unfamiliar room and sat up quickly, gasping as the cold air hit my skin and I realized I wasn't wearing anything. Well, anything except for those damned red boots. It took me a minute to remember what had happened the night before and I looked down at the sleeping figure next to me. After a quick catnap, we'd woken up and explored each other's bodies twice more before falling into a dead sleep.

I felt the panic rise in my chest. I didn't know what to do. I'd never had a one night stand. I didn't know what the morning after protocol was; we were obviously in his room somewhere. Thank God it wasn't mine so I could get away.

I gently eased out of the bed and my breath caught as Eric rolled over and he reached out to the spot I'd just been laying. I froze in place, hoping that he would stay asleep, and let out a small sigh of relief when his eyes remained shut.

I quickly gathered my clothes and pulled my skirt and top on in haste. My bra was hanging off the edge of the chair and my panties were nowhere to be found, but that would have to be okay. I wasn't going to see this guy again, who cared if I left my panties behind, right? The most important thing was that I got out of there as quickly as possible. I made my way to the door and gave his sleeping figure one last look, committing the sight to memory; a girl could do a lot worse on a one night stand than the blond God who was asleep on the rumpled bed.

I squinted against the bright morning light when I stepped outside and let out a sigh of relief. The Gods must've been looking out for me, because I quickly realized that we were at the motel Amelia and I had checked into, and only down the hall from our room. I'd been worried about how I was supposed to get back to the motel in a strange town without a ride, but that wasn't going to be a problem.

I made haste back to our room and did a happy dance when I opened the door to find it empty. Apparently Tray and Amelia had selected alternate accommodations. I went over to one of the beds and rumpled it so that it appeared it had been slept in – I didn't want anyone to know where I had been – and peeled out of my clothes. I was in the shower within minutes. I felt a twinge of sadness as I washed Eric's scent off my skin, but admonished myself for even thinking like that. It was a one-night stand. I couldn't become attached to someone's scent that I would never see again.

I'd finished drying my hair when I heard the lock click in the door and Amelia bounced into the room.

"Hey there Sookie," she said with a bright smile as she sat on her bed.

"Hey there Amelia," I scowled. I may have found a way back to the motel, but I wasn't about to forgive her for leaving me alone. "Have a good time last night after you left me?"

She frowned and shook her head. "Yeah, sorry about that. Dawson was ready to head back to the motel and I was a little bit drunk. Sorry we took off with the car, but I'm glad you made it back safely."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," I frowned.

"Did you catch a ride with someone that was staying here?" she asked as she waggled her eyebrows. Could she know? No, there was no way. Unless she'd seen me walking back…

"Just kidding Sook," she giggled as she stood up and headed towards the bathroom. "I know you're not like that." Oh, how wrong she was.

"I'm going to hop in the shower quick, and then Dawson said he'd be here in thirty minutes. He wants to take us to breakfast, so get packed!"

We returned to the motel after breakfast and gathered our belongings, eager to get on the road. We were all eager for different reasons - Dawson and Amelia were anxious to get home to Bon Temps and spend the rest of the week together until he had to return to the road; and I was eager to get the hell out of Tyler before I ran into the blond head and blue eyes that were staying here.

I practically ran out to the car and waited as Amelia and Dawson followed behind slowly; too slowly if you asked me. Every minute we lingered was another opportunity for me to be caught.

"So Sookie," Amelia said as we stopped by her waiting car, "Dawson and I want to ask another favor of you."

"What?" I groaned. Another favor? As if my having come to Tyler and leaving me to fend for myself hadn't been enough?

"Well," Amelia said, and shifted uncomfortably on her feet. This was going to be a disaster, and I would say yes, because that's who I was. Damn my manners. "Dawson sort of promised his buddy that he'd drive back to Louisiana with him. And…" she paused.

"Yes?" What? What did they want?

"And… well, we kind of thought that maybe I could ride with Dawson in my car and you could drive back with his friend in his truck since my car only fits two people," she said so quickly that I barely made out her words.

"What?" I screeched. They wanted me to ride home with some cowboy friend of Dawson's so they could spend time together?

"I'll love you forever," Amelia said, and batted her eyelashes at me.

"You already do, dummy."

"Please?" she whined. "I won't ask you for anything ever again." Yeah right.

"Please Sook?" Dawson asked. Oh sure, Dawson knew that since he was Jason's best friend, he was someone I couldn't say no to.

"Fine. But I swear to God if he tries anything with me, I'll hop out on the side of the road."

Dawson let out a loud laugh. "Don't you worry Stackhouse. I already told him that you were like a sister to me and I'd kill him if he even looked at you like that."

I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Fine. When is he going to get here so that we can get the hell out of here?"

I heard a cough behind me and my spine stiffened. Had Dawson's friend overheard me? I'd be mortified.

"Northman!" Dawson called out to whoever was standing behind me. "Just on time. Sook, this is who'll be riding home with you. Eric, this here is Sookie."

ERIC?

No! No. No. No. No. No. It couldn't be. There were tons of people named Eric, right? What were the chances that Dawson would be friends with Eric? _My Eric?_ I shook my head at that last thought; the Eric from last night was far from mine.

I turned around slowly, praying to God that I was wrong and let out a string of curses when my eyes locked with a familiar set of blues.

"Nice to meet you ma'am," he said with a nod of his head, the mischief in his eyes the only clue of our prior encounter. Well, at least he wasn't going to give away the game.

"Yeah. You too," I mumbled before I turned and gave Amelia a look that could've curdled milk. "Are we ready?" I asked impatiently. I heard Eric chuckle behind me as Amelia chastised me for being rude to him, but just shrugged my shoulders.

"Here, let me take that," Eric said, and grabbed my suitcase before I could protest. He marched over to his truck and put it in the back, strapping it down next to his duffel bag.

"Thanks," I mumbled, and walked around to the passenger's side of the truck. The door was unlocked and I climbed in and slammed the door shut behind me, unsure of how I was going to handle this. I stared straight ahead, begging for time to stop so that I wouldn't have to take the car ride alone with my personal wet dream. It had seemed like a quick drive with Amelia, but being locked in a truck with Eric would undoubtedly make for a long journey.

I stiffened in my seat when I heard the door open, but refused to look over. The truck shifted as he climbed in, his heady scent filling the ever shrinking confines of the cab.

I felt him looking at me, but refused to move my vision off of the dashboard ahead of me. The sound of his chuckle turned my insides to goo, but I wouldn't, no couldn't, look at him.

"So my little Bunny is the girl I agreed to drive home. Imagine my luck," he said. I couldn't stop my head from snapping in his direction and meeting his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I regretted looking at him the minute our eyes connected. It was as if all of my resolve just disappeared. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to have one night of fun that I could tuck away in the back of my memory for cold and rainy nights; I wasn't ever supposed to see my cowboy again.

"Well, when I woke up this morning and you were gone, I wondered if I'd ever see you again." He leaned across the cab until his face was so close I could feel his breath on my skin. "Looks like the fates want us to be together."

I shifted as far back from him as the cab would allow and my breath caught when he reached his hand towards me. I didn't know what he was going to do, but knew that if he kissed me, if he touched me, I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I let out a sigh of disappointment when his hand passed my shoulder and grabbed the seatbelt behind me.

"You might want to buckle up. You weren't too fond of my driving last night, even if you did enjoy the ride in the end."

I felt the blush begin to creep up my chest. Was I going to be subjected to hours of innuendo? Would I be able to survive? Maybe I could pretend to be asleep. He'd know better than anyone that I hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

He laughed at my silence and pulled back until he was sitting squarely in his seat. I felt him shift again, but did my best to keep my eyes somewhere else.

"Oh, and Bunny?" I looked over and met his eyes, seeing his arm move out of the corner of my eye. "You forgot something." I followed his eyes as they moved to his hand, which was raised above the dashboard and holding my very red, very lacy underwear.

I snatched them out of his hand and shoved them into my purse as I heard him laughing at me.

Oh yes, this was going to be a long ride indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** So, many many weeks later, here is the continuation of my Cowboy Up! story. Thanks to **Sunkisz** for being my beta extraordinaire and not slapping me too hard when I sent her an updated version of this chapter. All mistakes are mine. All characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I just put 'em in cowboy boots and make them do dirty things.

**Chapter 2**

**EPOV**

I was having an amazing dream, all limbs, bodies, and blond hair, when I felt the sun pull me out of my slumber. As I eased out of unconsciousness, I heard a clicking noise and pushed it off to the typical sounds that were associated with living in a motel. Alcide and I had been traveling for so long, I almost forgot what it was like to not have people living next door, above or below you. I peeled my eyes open and saw the sunlight streaming through the small window that was barely covered with the sheer white drapes on a stark white wall. Yep, there was no mistaking it; I was definitely still in a motel.

My head was pounding, and I felt as if the fabric of our lives had taken up residence in my mouth. _Fuck. _I hated when I drank too much, and it'd been a long time since I'd let that slip. For one, I didn't like losing control, and there was nothing like alcohol to make that happen; and hell, once I hit 28, I didn't bounce back from hangovers like I used to. I knew it would be a few days before I was back to feeling myself. Thankfully I had a few days to catch up on my sleep and start to feel like myself again.

I rolled over to my side and buried my face in the pillow, willing the linens to swallow me up and make the pounding go away. It kind of worked. Well would have worked if the scent on the pillow hadn't caused the memories of the night before to come crashing back, of Sookie's naked body pressed up against my own, of those damned red boots hooked behind my back as she pulled me towards her, further inside her. A slow smile crept across my face as I thought of everything we'd done. I sat up in the bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, wondering where my little bunny had gone and when she'd be back. I scanned the room, taking in the open bathroom door and my clothes that were strewn across the floor. Clothes, mind you, that looked fucking lonely strewn out across the floor all alone. There wasn't a sign of Sookie's clothing, which I vividly remembered stripping off her eager body the night before.

_Well shit. _It appeared that little bunny had done a runner. That click that had woken me up was her closing the door on me, leaving me dreaming of waking up and taking care of business once more. I fell back onto the pillows behind me, frankly a bit pissed off that I'd been left like a cheap hooker, or an expensive hooker. Whatever. I couldn't say that I'd never done a runner myself -- God knows I had -- but it had been awhile. Nowadays, I liked to lay the expectations out. If I invited someone to come home with me, they knew that they would be getting out before I fell asleep. It was better for everyone that way. Hell, I couldn't remember the last time I'd actually slept next to a woman. Before Sookie, I hadn't wanted to go to sleep next to anyone.

_Shit Northman, you're going soft._

I closed my eyes and reached out for the pillow next to me, pulling it up to cover my face and block out the suddenly too bright light. So she'd left? Big deal. I'd move on. I frowned when I felt the underside of the pillow; I wasn't positive, but I didn't think the Quality Inn had lacy pillowcases. I pulled at the fabric, smiling when I realized that I wasn't holding a pillowcase at all. Looked like Sookie decided to leave me a present.

I wrapped my fingers around the fabric, sunk back into the pillows and drifted back to sleep. I had a few more hours before I told Dawson I'd meet up with him, a few more hours to get the sleep that Sookie had deprived me of the night before.

***

I woke up a few hours later and was just as annoyed as I had been the first time when I remembered what Sookie had done to me. I climbed out of the bed and began to get ready for the day. In the shower, I tried to shrug her off as another Buckle Bunny, a girl that wanted nothing more than the satisfaction of getting her cowboy for the night, but something didn't sit right. Despite the fact that she'd outright propositioned me, fucked me and ran, there was something innocent about the girl.

I chastised myself for even thinking like that about her. I should be riding high on the fact that I could get a girl as hot as Sookie had been without having to worry about the strings your average girl would want. It just chapped my ass a bit that she was the one to sneak out first.

Just when I had talked myself into shrugging it off, I got Dawson's text asking me to drive his girlfriend's friend home. Great. That's exactly what I needed, having to spend a few hours in the confines of my pickup with some likely homely girl without a personality so that he could get some extra nookie in with his girlfriend. The friends were always homely. Fuck, if they weren't, they wouldn't need to get a lift from a stranger they'd never met before. But I agreed. Dawson had done far too many favors for me to say no to something as simple as giving Helga the Hippo a lift.

I figured I could always turn the music up loud if things got too bad. That was one of the great things about being a cowboy with a reputation – you could be a prick and no one would think any worse of you for it. I didn't normally like to play up that stereotype, but sometimes you had to do things you didn't plan to get through a situation.

I threw my clothes in the duffel bag I used on road trips. I had been on the road for a few weeks, and was well in need of a stop at my house in Shreveport and a trip to my washing machine. I stuffed the shirt I'd been wearing last night in the bag, forcing the zipper shut over the bulges as I surveyed the room to make sure I hadn't left anything behind. The flash of red in the rumpled sheets brought a smile to my face. I picked them up gingerly and debated what I should do, before deciding to put them in my pocket. Hell, it wouldn't hurt to take them with me; might make the ride with Helga a little more enjoyable if I could drift off and remember how pleasurable the night before had been.

I sauntered down to the outside stairs of the motel, hiding my eyes with sunglasses from the blinding sunlight. I spotted Dawson standing next to a cute brunette and scoured the parking lot for my travel mate. Didn't look like there were any zoo animals standing around, but I also couldn't see more than the top of a blonde head that was barely visible over the side of a SUV.

I sauntered towards them, each step I took became lighter as more of my traveling partner came into view. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a bun, revealing a long and slender neck; her shoulders, while covered in a long-sleeved t-shirt did not resemble a line-backer in anyway; she had a cute ass, and denim clad legs that seemed to go on for awhile before ending in a pair of simple flip flops.

Not what I had expected, but there was always the chance she'd be a butterface. She had to be. Right?

I was at their car before I knew it, interrupting Dawson's conversation with his girlfriend and the faceless blonde. Whatever they were talking about, the blonde clearly wasn't happy about it.

"Fine," the head said. "When is he going to get here so that we can get the hell out of here?"

I coughed to alert them to my presence and smiled when I saw the blonde's spine stiffen at being caught.

"Northman!" Dawson called out, looking over the blonde's head. "Just on time. Sook, this is who'll be riding home with you. Eric, this here is Sookie."

No. Fucking. Way. What were the chances of two girls being named Sookie in Tyler, TX? Maybe my luck had carried on from last night after all. She turned around slowly, her profile coming into view and confirming my suspicions.

Her eyes widened with shock when she met mine, and I couldn't stop myself from greeting her with a smirk.

Knowing now wasn't the time to embarrass her in front of her friends-- well not if I planned on having a pleasant ride back to Shreveport -- I played along, pretending I hadn't met her before. I'd have plenty of time to get to the bottom of why she'd skipped out, to repair my bruised ego and get her to admit that she'd enjoyed herself.

Hell, if I was quick enough on the uptake, I wondered if she'd be up for another round on the way home. Though, truth be told, from the way she climbed in the truck slammed the door shut, I doubted it. Oh hell, even if she didn't want to play along, it was going to be a hell of a lot of fun to get a rise out of her.

She didn't respond to my initial taunts, choosing instead to look straight ahead and pretend I didn't exist. I couldn't have that. No. That was fuel to my fire. And just when she thought I would give up, I pulled out the big guns – or small, lacy panties as was the case.

I roared with laughter at the look of shock and indignation that crossed her face when she realized what I was dangling from my fingers. Bold and Brazen Bunny had gone to sleep sated and woken up as a chaste and shy little thing with an attitude. The dichotomy of her only made her more attractive.

"That is not funny," she practically growled as she shoved her underwear into her oversized bag.

"I was wondering if you left those behind on purpose," I said, turning the key in the ignition as the engine roared to life. "Maybe a reminder of last night. Not that I would forget that any time soon."

She slunk down in the seat, as far as her seatbelt would allow her to go and looked out the window, not even deeming me worthy of a response.

"No," I continued, "after what you did to me, I don't think I'll be forgetting you any time soon." I smiled as she groaned, the blush rising up along her neck.

"Can we please get going?" she asked, attempting to gloss over my comments. "I want to get home. I have too many things to do than to sit here in a parking lot with you while you try to embarrass me. You win. I'm embarrassed that you had my underwear. Let's move on."

"Sure," I said, putting the truck into drive and easing out of the parking lot after Amelia's tiny car. We sat in silence as I made my way to the main road. She leaned forward and turned on the radio, fiddling with the stations until one came in clear. Every now and then I stole glances at her, but she was always looking out the window, not giving me a chance to catch her eye.

"Bunny," I started, "you've got to help me out here. I don't understand why a hot little number like yourself, who I made sure enjoyed herself multiple times, would skip out before we could go for round four this morning. I'm pretty good at reading women most of the time, but I've got to admit that I can't read you at all. You seemed to have a good time last night. Care to enlighten me?"

That got her. She let out a loud gasp and turned to face me. "First, my name is Sookie, not Bunny."

I shrugged and smiled in her direction. "I reckon you liked it when I called you Bunny last night. If I remember, you told me how much you liked it and other things while I tasted your delectable body." I raised my eyebrows and raked my eyes over her body. I felt myself respond to her and shifted in my seat. Damn, she was sexy even when she was fully covered.

"Get your eyes on the road!" she commanded. "I am not about to be killed because you'd rather stare at my boobs than oncoming traffic." Well, she was right about that.

She continued, "I'm not going to tiptoe around it Eric. I wasn't happy when I turned around and saw you. Once I shut that door behind me this morning, I didn't think I'd ever see you again, didn't want to ever see you again. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed myself, as you well know. But I was mad at Amelia for putting me in the position of having to ride home with a stranger, and it was even worse when it turned out it wasn't a stranger at all, but the man I'd gone home with the night before. The man I'd left just a few hours ago."

"And I'm sitting here, trying to muster up some embarrassment at behavior last night. Well, embarrassment at something other than the fact that you ended up with my underwear. But you know what? I'm not embarrassed. For the first time in my life, I asserted myself. I made the decision to go after you last night and I did. Don't get me wrong, I am not the type of girl that goes home with strange men and has sex with them. Did it happen? Yes. Do I regret it? No. This is not me 'going cold', this is me being me. The me you met last night, well at least the second time, was me liberated by alcohol, mad at my ex-boyfriend and pissed that the troll I'd turned down called me a prude. I needed to prove something to myself, needed to prove that I was desirable and capable of finding a man and taking advantage of him. It was supposed to be for one night, and for one night only. I really didn't expect to ever see you again."

Well, hell, I'd been ready to deal with flustered, embarrassed Sookie. I could admit that I'd even been looking forward to making her squirm. But this calm and collected Sookie was another thing entirely, something I didn't know how to handle. If I was being honest with myself, her ability to treat me with disdain after being naked beneath me just hours ago made me want her all the more. I liked a challenge, and I looked forward to this one. But I'd address that later. There was something that bothered me more in her tirade, something I needed to get to the bottom of.

"You didn't think you were desirable?" I asked.

"That's not the point – " she started.

"That is the point. Hell, you were the best lookin' girl there last night. I spotted you the minute you walked in that door, as did every other yahoo in there. Just because John fucking Quinn called you a prude doesn't make it true. He's a hothead that lets his temper get the best of him, and he let it get the best of him when you turned him down."

"Whatever," she said, and looked out the window.

"You think I'd lie about something like that? Hell Sook, I took you home. That should be proof enough to you that I think you're desirable."

"Fine," she said and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to argue with you."

"Good," I said, nodding my head and looking down the barren expanse of road ahead of us.

"But I also think I need to make it very clear that that was a one-time deal. I'm not saying you want anything more. Heck, you probably don't want anything more. I just know that as far as I'm concerned, that was it."

"What if I don't want that to be it?" Not that I did, did I? I was Eric Northman; I wasn't looking to jump into a relationship anytime or with anyone. So why the in hell did I care when she said she didn't want to see me again?

"I guess that's your problem," she said and shrugged. "I wanted a night with a cowboy, a fantasy that I can remember when I'm a blue-haired old lady living with a bunch of cats, and that's what I got. I needed to prove to myself that for one night, for one moment, I could captivate the best looking man in the room and make him mine, so I did. Now I can go back to my normal life and you can go back to yours. Once you drop me off in Shreveport, you can forget that you even met me for all that I care."

I didn't like that. I didn't like that one bit. I didn't know what in the hell got into me. I wasn't the type of guy that chased women; fuck, I didn't _need _to chase women. But I wasn't going to give up quite that easily on this one. This one, I wanted to learn more about; this one, I wanted to see if there was more to this than one night, if that spark we'd turned into a fire could be reignited. Her ability to be so incredibly hot and sexy in one moment, and then to turn around and tell me that she was done pissed me right the fuck off. Too bad for her, that wasn't going to happen.

"Well Sookie," I said, looking over at her once again, "I generally don't make a point of arguing with a woman, particularly a woman I've had hot and sweaty and wrapped around me –"

"Eric!" she screeched. "Really, please don't."

"No," I interrupted. "Let me continue. I don't feel right contradicting a lady, but you aren't the only one that has a say in this. For some reason, for whatever reason, I don't think this is the end of the road for the two of us, and I don't intend to give in to your whims."

She turned in the seat and looked at me, actually looked at me for the first time since we'd climbed into the truck. Her mouth was wide open, her eyes bulging as she contemplated my words.

"I don't know what to say to that."

"Then don't say anything." I shrugged and turned the volume up again, turning my focus back to the road ahead of me.

I wasn't worried. When I wanted something, when I really wanted it, I got it. One way or another.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Thanks as always to the lovely **Sunkisz** for being the supreme beta. *hugs*

Disclaimer: The characters still belong to Charlaine Harris.

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! I love that you like the cowboy and the little lady!

**Chapter 3 – Only For Tonight**

**SPOV**

I didn't think 97.7 miles could be so incredibly long, especially when the driver was going at a pace far above the legal speed limit. The trip that should have taken just under two hours was completed in just over one, but it was the single longest hour in my entire life.

After our little discussion, where I had said, "thank you very much for screwing me last night, but it shan't be happening again," and he said, "oh yes it will," we sat in silence. It was clear that we weren't going to get to an agreement, though, let's face it – it was my vagina we were talking about. He could try as much as he wanted, but it was ultimately my say.

The radio stations came in and out, and thankfully he wasn't too keen on country music either so we were regaled with the Top 40 hits. Don't get me wrong, a little Keith Urban now and then can be a good thing, but when it came to the "I done been wronged" songs, enough was enough. I swear we heard that Black Eyed Peas song three times in an hour, but I wasn't going to complain. Nope. _I Gotta Feelin'_ became my favorite sound. It was much better than having to talk through what had happened the night before.

I didn't really like having "talks" about anything and frankly it surprised me that quiet cowboy Eric would want to either. He seemed like a "no feelings" kind of guy, which was one of the things I liked about him from the minute I met him. My aversion to emotions was one thing that always bothered Amelia – she liked to share every detail of every day of her life, slice it in 100 parts, and analyze it. Me? I liked to keep to myself. Sure I ran over certain things a thousand times in my head, but I wasn't desperate to get everyone's opinions; I didn't want to hash out possible outcomes. Maybe that wasn't healthy, but it was how I liked it.

I stared out the window, and try as I might, couldn't help but think about my current situation. I had a great time – scratch that, a fricking amazing time with him after we left the honky-tonk, but that was then. It was never intended to be more than a few hours. I wasn't interested in shacking up with a cowboy, or anyone for that matter. Now I needed to get back to my real life, a life that didn't include any devilishly good-looking cowboys that were too smooth for their own good, or mine. Even if I could admit to myself that on a very base level, I did want to have another go with him, what would that get me? I knew better. Protect yourself first, worry about your libido last. That was the scouts saying, right? Something like that at least.

I wouldn't deny that my saying 'no' likely only made him more interested in me, but that wasn't why I was doing it. I also knew that he only wanted a taste of something he couldn't have. Okay, well, so he'd had me once, but that was beside the point. He was like a little boy. You say no to him, and it intrigued him all the more. Well, he could be intrigued all the way to hell for all I cared.

I knew my adherence to "Just Say No" had chapped his ass, but I also knew that he'd get over it. He probably took girls home with him all the time if his, ahem, skills were any indication. I was sure he was used to girls tripping over themselves to have him even _look _at them, much less go for a round of the old in and out. My rejection of his further advances probably surprised him. Anything he said to the contrary was his bruised ego talking. I was undoubtedly a notch on his incredibly large bedpost, and I was okay with that. It's what I'd set out to do.

I breathed a sigh of relief when we pulled in to the parking lot outside of Amelia's apartment and I spotted my car. I'd never been so happy to see that piece of metal in my life. It wasn't much to look at, but it did the trick, and it would get me the hell away from the awkwardness that was sitting next to me.

Eric barely had pulled to a stop next to Amelia's car, when I unbuckled my seatbelt and had the door halfway open.

"Nuh-uh," he said, unbuckling his seatbelt and reaching across me to pull the door shut. "You aren't getting away from me that easily Bunny."

All the frustration I felt at myself and at him came rushing to the forefront. I always tried to be polite first, but apparently polite wasn't getting through his thick, though incredibly attractive, head. I could pull out the shrew card. Hell I'd done it before.

"Oh my god, would you quit with the nickname? I'm sure you think it's charming, but it is beyond annoying. I get it, ha ha, I was a buckle bunny for a night. Clever."

"You don't have to be a bitch about it Sookie," he said, raising his hand to my face and forcing me to meet his eyes. "I won't call you Bunny again unless you ask me to."

"Like that's ever going to happen," I spat. "No. Actually, you know what? You can call me whatever the hell you like. I don't plan on seeing you ever again, so I could care less what you write down in your little black book with all of your other conquests."

"I don't have a black book Sookie," he said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Okay, well whatever you do to keep track of the girls you've had sex with along the way, doesn't matter."

"Sookie," he said, his voice heavy with frustration. "I don't know what crawled up inside you and died in these last few hours. I liked you last night, and despite your best efforts to change my opinion, I like you now. You intrigue me. I want to know more about you."

"I told you already," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Not interested."

He held my eyes with his calculating stare before nodding slightly to himself. "Fine. I can't say that I'll give up quite so easily, but much as I'd like to, I can't very well keep you locked in my truck forever."

"Thanks, I guess," I mumbled, pushing the door open and hopping out of the confines of his pickup.

I stood back and tried to block out the sound of Amelia's giggles as Tray picked her up out of her car. Before I could stop him, Eric unlatched my suitcase and swung it over the side before carrying it across the small distance that separated us. He stopped in front of me, a little too close for comfort and convention and looked down at me. My eyes immediately dropped to our feet – his clad in well worn brown boots and mine looking frivolous in comparison in black flip flops with my bright red toenail polish. Despite the fact that I knew that the Northman highway was a road that I didn't need to travel down, damned if I didn't second guess myself when I looked at him. I was a red-blooded American woman, and the man was gorgeous. I wasn't exactly practiced at flirting with good looking men; most of the men in my life were my brother's friends that had no interest in getting in my pants.

Truth be told, I was a little concerned with what I'd do if he tried anything else. It was easy to stay disinterested when I was locked in a seatbelt, but standing here, his body inches away from my own reminded me too much of the night before. Just one of those damned smirks from him and all my resolve might melt away. I know, I know, feminists would be fainting around me if I said that out loud, but it was true. Eric Northman was the single best looking man I'd seen in real life, you couldn't blame me for questioning my ability to resist him if he persisted.

_I'm leaving. I'm getting in my car and driving back to Bon Temps. One last look wouldn't hurt. _Right?

I allowed my eyes to travel up his body, taking in the way the jeans hugged his thighs, the way his t-shirt hung just sloppily enough to look disheveled without looking dirty, and finally meeting those piercing blue eyes that were assessing my every move. The corner of his mouth quirked up when I met his gaze.

"Like what you see?"

"Sure," I said, shrugging. "I'd be lying if I said anything else. But that still doesn't change anything."

I picked up my suitcase and rolled it to my car without another word, opening the trunk and tossing it inside while I mentally slapped myself for wanting to look back at him. I could tell he was watching me; I didn't need to turn around to know that. I heard Amelia call my name as I opened my driver's door, but ignored her. She could wait. Hell, with what I'd done for her this weekend, she couldn't expect me to be all warm and fuzzy towards her. She'd forgive me. I hastily climbed into the car and had to stop to adjust my rearview mirror that I'd knocked askew. I started the engine and with one look behind me, backed out of the parking space.

I'd have to drive by him, have to see him one last time before he was nothing more than a spec in my rearview mirror and a memory that I could use to keep me warm at night. I eased forward and gave him one last look. He stood there, leaning against his truck, watching me with that cool, assessing gaze. He tipped his hat in my direction as I passed him. The look of determination on his face scared me a bit. As much as I wanted it to be the end of Eric Northman in my life, even I knew that he wasn't going to give up that easily.

***

The drive to Bon Temps went by quickly. I filled the void with loud music, singing my heart out to avoid having to think about what I'd just driven away from anymore. It was time to lock that memory away.

I pulled into my long driveway and was surprised to find Jason's truck parked alongside the house. Now, normally when I got home and saw Jason's truck in the driveway, it was enough to drive me crazy, but today I welcomed his intrusion. He'd been living in Mom & Dad's old house for a few years now, but still treated Gran's house, which was now my house, like his own.

"Hello," I called out when I pushed the door open. I heard the TV on in the living room of the old farmhouse and shrugged my shoulders when I didn't get a response. I guess it would be too much to expect Jason to be waiting for me and actually willing to help me carry all my stuff inside. I set my keys down on the table and rifled through my mail, tossing the junk mail in the garbage on my way towards the living room.

"Jase?" I called out again and frowned when I didn't get a response. The living room was empty, Pat Robertson preaching to my worn sofa and recliner about the perils of sexual relations before marriage.

Great, just what I needed.

I shut the TV off and looked around the empty room, happy to be home and among my things. I liked consistency and I liked routine. It kept me grounded. I heard a noise from down the hallway towards my bedroom and went to investigate.

"Jase?" I called out again. Maybe he was in the bathroom, though that wouldn't explain why the door to my bedroom was closed.

I pushed the door open and was greeted by the sight of two naked bodies doing something you could find on Cinemax late at night. In my bed.

"Jason Stackhouse!" I yelled, not caring about my manners. It was my fricking house, my _bed._ I think even Miss Manners wouldn't begrudge me my anger.

The bodies stopped and Jason turned his head to look at me over his shoulder. "Aw shit," he said, rolling off his faceless conquest.

"Aw shit is right," I fumed. "I am going back to the living room. You have exactly one minute to get the hell out of my room." I spun on my heel and marched to the living room. The fucking nerve of him. I knew he had sex. Hell, everyone knew he had sex. I just shouldn't have to come home from my trying day to find anyone naked and sweaty in my bed, especially my brother.

I heard my bed creek and a scuffle from my bedroom as Jason and his lady friend hastily got up. I heard a loud bang followed by Jason letting out a string of expletives and tried to stifle my smile. Served the asshole right if he got hurt. Who breaks into their sister's house to have sex on her bed while she is away? Really. I didn't think it was too much to ask to respect my space that much.

The door flew open and a half-dressed Jason marched out followed by a slight woman with brown hair I recognized as a waitress from Merlotte's. I knew everyone from Bon Temps, it was a side effect of living in a tiny town.

"You go out to the truck," he said to the girl. "I'll be out there in a minute."

My eyes didn't leave Jason as the nameless girl scurried out the front door.

"What?" I asked with a smirk. "You're not going to introduce me to the woman you defiled my bed with?"

"I'm sorry Sook – " he started.

"Don't you 'sorry' me Jason Stackhouse," I interrupted. "Sorry doesn't fucking cut it this time. I don't want to see you right now. You need to get out."

"You're kicking me out?"

"Really Jason? Really? How would you like it if you came home and found me in _your _bed with someone? Would you like that?"

"No. I don't think I would. But you can wipe that look off your face Sookie Stackhouse," he said with as much indignation as he could.

"What look would that be dear brother? The look of disappointment that I have a brother that doesn't understand why it's not okay to fuck someone on my bed?"

"Watch your mouth. What would Gran say?"

"Don't even bring up Gran," I said, finally letting my anger and frustration over everything that had happened in the last 24 hours out. The anger at Amelia for always ditching me; the anger at myself for letting Bill get to me; the anger that I had the shittiest luck ever, and finally the anger at coming home and finding a surprise. "You really think you can pull that card with me Jason? I think Gran would be spinning in her grave to know that you brought a girl over here while I was gone and used my bed in _her _old room to play jackrabbit? I think my saying 'fuck' would be the least of her concerns."

"Goddammit Sookie," Jason said, stomping over to the sofa to pick up his t-shirt and pull it over his head. "You need to stop being so uptight."

"Uptight?" I gasped. "Me? Pray, tell me how I'm being 'uptight' right now."

He threw his hands up in the air in exasperation and sat down to roughly pull his shoes on. "I said I was sorry. Dawn wanted to be adventurous, so we came over here. I didn't think you'd get home before we were done."

"And that makes it okay?" Really, I was interested to find out his answer. "Were you planning on washing my sheets at least? Or did you two get off thinking about me coming home and climbing into your love nest unknowingly? You know what? I don't care. Get the hell out."

"Shit Sookie, you need to get laid. Maybe that'd make you more bearable."

Ha, little did he know. Hell, if anything the marathon sex-fest I'd had the night before only made it worse.

"Yes, I'm sure that's it. Maybe if I became an indiscriminate whore like you I'd be happier Jason."

"You're such a sarcastic bitch Sookie. No wonder Bill had to go looking somewhere else. If you don't loosen up ain't nobody ever going to want anything to do with you."

That was it. That was fucking it. He had the nerve to pull Bill fucking Compton into this? Bill Compton who Jason had threatened to kill when he got caught with Lorena? I knew Jason was a hothead, but that was a low blow. "Jason Stackhouse, you get out. If you know what's best for you, you will stay out of my way until I have some time to cool down and initiate contact with you."

"Fine," he said, stomping out and slamming the door behind him.

I stood stock still as I heard his truck's engine roar to life and his tires peel out of the gravel driveway. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding and fell back into the oversized recliner.

I sat in silence for ten or fifteen minutes before I got up, stripped the dirty sheets off my bed and threw them in the washing machine. I hopped into the shower, wanting to use the hot water to scald off what I'd just witnessed. The minute I was under the water and the tension I'd been carrying in my shoulders began to fade, my traitorous brain flashed back to my night in bed with Cowboy Eric. Images flashed across my brain of what he'd looked like as he trailed kisses along every inch of my body, of how well we'd fit together.

I shook my head, determined to clear the thoughts away and focus on the rest of the day. There was no point in dwelling on the past. It wouldn't get me anywhere.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Giddy up ladies and gents. We've got another chapter of that rascally cowboy Northman and Ms. Stackhouse. Hope you are all enjoying these two as much as I am ;)

Thanks to Sunkisz for being an amazing beta. Just wait until you see the things she wants me to do with this one. *giggles*

Disclaimer: I'm still dressing Ms. Harris' creations up in shit kickers, even though they don't belong to me.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Only For Tonight**

**EPOV**

I finally tore my eyes away from Sookie's car as she turned out of view. I hadn't expected our departure to go down quite like it had. I knew she wasn't going to agree to anything easily, but I didn't think she'd take off like a bat out of hell the minute I stopped my truck. Oh hell, who was I kidding? She'd been ready to jump out of the moving vehicle like she was Keanu Reeves and we went below 50 mph.

"What did you do to her?" Amelia's high voice asked from behind me with an edge of accusation.

"I didn't do anything. I guess she didn't like me very much," I replied as I turned around and shrugged my shoulders. I looked between Dawson and Amelia, taking her in for the first time. When we'd been in Tyler, I hadn't been able to rip my eyes of Sookie long enough to get in more than a cursory glance at her. Dawson was a pretty big guy, it's what made him a good bulldogger; Amelia, on the other hand, was this tiny little wisp of a thing with short hair that pointed out in a million directions. The energy radiating off her was unlike anything I'd ever seen. She was like one of those super balls in a tiny room, bouncing all over the place. Only, a real pissed off super ball as far as I was concerned.

"That's not like Sookie," Amelia said with a frown. "She's always real nice to everyone. She wouldn't run off like that unless something happened. She's never in a rush to get back to Bon Temps. Are you sure you didn't say something to offend her?"

_Hmmm, I guess that depends on when you're talkin' about._

Last night, I'd said some pretty graphic things about what I wanted to do to her, and then I'd done them. It didn't seem like she'd been offended at the time, but who knew with uptight Laura Ingles this morning? Maybe she'd woken up and was offended that I'd told her in detail how much I liked her breasts and what they did to me; how I'd liked stripping off those red scraps of fabric and seeing what was underneath. I smiled to myself as I remembered how she'd looked, sprawled out on the king sized bed with only those red boots on.

"Not that I can think of," I responded. Amelia put her hands on her hips and assessed me with her cat-like green eyes.

"I've been around enough cowboys," she said. "You probably don't even know when you're being offensive."

"Northman's not like that," Dawson said, coming to my rescue. He swung his arm over Amelia's tiny shoulders and pulled her close to him. "He's about as gentlemanly as they come in the rodeo world. Except me of course." I rolled my eyes when he winked at me. Sure, now he was on the straight and narrow, but Dawson had been a wild one back in the day. The things Alcide had told me about Dawson's shenanigans when he'd been in his early twenties were enough to make a whore blush. But I wasn't going to say anything, especially since he was defending me to the best friend of a woman I planned on getting naked. Again.

"I mean hell, look at him," he said with an incline of his head. "Northman has women tripping over themselves to bat their eyelashes at him. He doesn't need to say things to women who aren't interested in him. Isn't that right?"

I shrugged again. Yes, typically that was true. And, for the record, I didn't think that Sookie wasn't interested in me. She was interested in me all right, even if it was only on a very base level at this point. More than likely, I think she was afraid of getting herself in too deep with someone like me.

I knew that rodeo cowboys had a reputation, and for the most part it was well earned. Outsiders of the rodeo circuit lumped us all together, but insiders knew the difference. Roughstockers like John Quinn were cocky little assholes who were nothing more than adrenaline junkies with a death wish. That carried over into their treatment of women as well, which left a less than satisfied taste in most people's mouths.

The rest of us, the ones that had too much common sense to strap themselves onto an animal with its balls in a vice, got a bad rap because of them. Slack rodeo cowboys like Dawson, Alcide, and myself - we were a little more sensible. The events we did were practical. You'd always need someone that was able to rope a steer, and it took more skill than balls, not that we were short in that area either.

"Like that matters," Amelia said and turned to face Dawson. "He still could've been a jackass like your other rodeo friends. God, I knew that I shouldn't have left her with your friend so we could get some more alone time in. You know she's not very experienced with men Tray. Hell she only had sex for the first time less than a year ago, and that was with fuckwad Bill the two pump chump. Then you throw her in a truck with Mr. Beautiful and Virile over there and it's no wonder she'd react that way."

I shook my head, sure that my lack of sleep from the night before had muddled my comprehension. There's no way that the hot number that I'd experienced last night wasn't well versed in the ways of pleasure. She'd known what she was doing, and I'd responded in kind. Every touch of those hands, every time her mouth had been on my skin, had seemed like a calculated maneuver. I had to have misheard.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh shit. She'd kill me if she knew I shared that with anyone." Amelia ran her fingers through her short hair, tugging on the ends. "Promise you won't say anything to her?" She looked at me desperately. "Well, not that you're probably going to see her again anyway. But if you do, you cannot tell her that I told you about that. She's 26 years old for Christ's sake. In today's age, only having had sex with one person practically makes her a freak of nature."

I nodded absentmindedly. Well, there was part of the puzzle solved. So she'd only had sex with the ex-boyfriend eh? Well, and me too technically. It appeared that little Sookie was a natural, or at least she was when it came to me. The new knowledge only intrigued me more. I'd thought there was something innocent about her, despite her ability to turn me into hot molten lava with one sweep of her heavy-lidded eyes.

"Good," Amelia said with a nod. "I'll have to call her later, make sure she was okay. Maybe she was still mad at me for last night." Yes, that was a possibility. As much as I understood Amelia's motivations, making your best friend drive to a rodeo two hours away to promptly ditch her at a bar seemed a little less than friendly. I may have been one of the reasons in Sookie's mad dash, but I sure as hell wasn't the only one.

"I should get going," I said, turning to face Dawson. "I told Pam that I'd work at the bar tonight. If you guys feel up to it, you should stop by."

If there was one thing I knew about a girl like Sookie, it was that there was no better way to get close to her than to become friendly with her friends. A girl like that, a girl who would put up with their friend ditching them, was the type of girl that would do anything if Amelia asked her. Well, almost anything. I was going to have to get Amelia on my side if I was planning on getting anywhere with Sookie, and I knew the first step was getting Dawson to bring her around me again.

***

I pulled my truck to a stop in front of the brick house I'd bought last year with my rodeo purse. I'd been living with Pam in the flat above the bar since we'd bought it five years ago, and while I couldn't really ask for a better roommate than Pam, I had been ready to have a space to call my own. I liked being able to come home to the quiet, to not have to answer to anybody.

It wasn't a house that you'd look at twice, sitting nestled in a quiet residential community with tree-lined streets, but it was my house. It didn't look like a street that a bachelor would live on, what with the clusters of kids circling the streets on their bicycles, relishing in the long summer days; the neighbors had been quick to drop by and meet their new neighbor – especially the housewives. Hell, I hadn't needed to cook a meal since I'd moved in. Someone always found a reason to bring over a casserole or a pie they happened to have laying around. There were definite advantages to being a good looking single guy on a suburban street.

I unlocked the front door and walked inside, noting the pile of mail Pam had gathered sitting on the hall table that I would have to go through later. I made my way back to my laundry room, dropping off the black duffel bag that would need to be taken care of within the next few days before I was due back in Dallas for our next string of rodeos. It was early June, and the frequency of the events would be increasing as we headed into the summer months. Next week there were three different events around Dallas, and come July, I wouldn't be back in Shreveport for over a month.

But for now I needed to get ready for the night ahead. Pam had already called me three times today, leaving messages that I'd better be "getting my ass back to Shreveport" because it was my turn to man the bar. As big of a show as she put on to the contrary, I knew that Pam liked it when I wasn't there. We got along well enough, but one boss always worked out better than two.

I kicked off my cowboy boots, tossing them into the corner they'd remain in until it was time to go back on the road. It wasn't that I was opposed to them; they just really weren't my style. I was much more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy when I was off the circuit and doing my own thing. I pulled off the t-shirt I'd haphazardly put on this morning and caught a whiff of perfume that smelled like Sookie. I couldn't remember when she'd been near the shirt long enough to leave her mark, but I wasn't about to complain. That one wouldn't be going in the laundry pile right away.

***

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat finally dragged in. I was wondering when I'd see you again," Pam said when I walked through the door. She was sitting on top of the long wooden bar watching an unfamiliar young woman mix a tall drink. She swung her legs over the bar and hopped down, crossing the floor towards me. "I hear you and Alcide deserve some congratulations."

I shrugged. "Yeah, we did pretty good."

"Pretty good? From what I heard, you guys are in first place." When I nodded, she continued. "Good. That will bring more women in to ogle you. I swear, as much as I hate the whole cowboy thing, it's done wonders for business, what with the bunnies that come in here panting after you." I smiled as I recalled a certain bunny that I hoped would stroll through those doors, even though I knew that was nothing but a pipe dream at this point, unless she came in by accident.

"I do what I can Pam."

"Of course you do." She turned around and walked back towards the bar, abruptly changing the conversation. "This is Felicia," she said, inclining her head to the woman behind the bar. "She's interviewing to be our new bartender."

"What happened to Longshadow?"

"He didn't work out." Pam had a way of running off the help. "We're better off without him. Felicia comes highly recommended. She is very talented."

"I'm sure she is," I said with a smirk. Felicia was very beautiful and looked just like Pam's type. She was tall, just under six feet, and she was of some racial blend that produced skin of a golden color and coarse, dark hair. I may have given Pam some competition if I didn't have someone else on my mind.

Pam smirked back at me and shrugged her shoulders. Leave it to Pam to sample the staff. Felicia wouldn't be the first bartender Pam had set her sights on, and definitely not the first woman of her personal harem that she had placed in our bar. At least Felicia looked like she knew what she was doing behind the bar.

"I'm off," Pam said. "I do hope you get this whole rodeo thing out of your system soon. As much fun as I'm sure it is to a traveling man whore, I do need a few nights off now and then."

"I'm not a man whore Pam." Or, at least, I wasn't that much of a man whore.

"Is that so? Something change there Cuz? Did you find a 'little lady' to settle down with?" She rolled her eyes and laughed at her own joke.

Not exactly.

When I didn't respond, she raised her eyebrows. "What, no immediate denial? Did I hit on a sensitive spot?"

"You should probably just leave Pam."

"Oh this is rich," she said with a laugh as she headed towards the door. "My cousin, Eric Northman, finally caught up by some girl?"

"I didn't say that."

"You don't have to. I can just tell." She was halfway out the door when she turned around and added. "Maybe you can get yourselves a nice little spread and have some chitlins."

"Jesus Christ Pam, I rodeo. That doesn't mean I'm John fucking Wayne."

"Are you sure about that pardner?" she asked with a smirk.

The look I gave her could have frozen ice, not that it affected Pam in any way. She raised her hand to her head, pinching the edges of her imaginary hat and nodded in my direction. "Okay, okay I get it. I'll be getting along little doggy."

"You know Pam, I do know how to hog tie." She raised her eyebrows in question. "I'd get the hell away from me unless you want me to go for a record."

***

I spent the next two hours in the office, going over the books that Pam had neglected in my absence. The woman was great at publicity, but she wasn't one that paid much attention to details. I was going to have to hire someone to come in while I was gone in July, I couldn't even imagine the mess that I'd return to if it were left up to Pam.

When the last receipt and order was entered into the computer, I got up from my desk and decided to head out to the bar. I scanned the bar as I stepped out into the hallway; it was pretty full for a Sunday night. I stepped behind the bar and pulled two fresh beers for our regulars that Pam had affectionately nicknamed Norm and Cliff. You could set your watch to them. They rolled in every night at 8:30, sat at their stools next to the taps and each had exactly three beers every night before leaving at 9:30. I checked the clock and figured they must be on their second beer of the night.

I was out on the floor for thirty minutes when I saw Dawson's familiar head take a stool at the bar.

"Northman," he said with a nod.

"Hey Daws," I said, pulling a beer and placing it in front of him. "What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be with that girlfriend of yours?"

"Let's just say she wasn't up to going anywhere after I took care of her."

I raised my eyebrows. "You left your girlfriend to come here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" My curiosity was heightened. Dawson wasn't exactly what you'd call a man of many words. I could count the conversations outside of the rodeo we'd had on one hand.

"About Sookie." Well, that sure as hell caught my attention.

"What about her?"

"I don't know what got into her today. She's usually the nicest gal you've ever met. Very polite. The whole Southern lady thing, to a fault typically."

"She didn't really say too much in the car." That wasn't a lie. "I figured she was hung over." And recovering from a night of serious fucking.

"Well, either way. I'm sure that wasn't a fun ride for you. Sorry to do that to you man."

"What's her story?" I asked, trying not to sound as interested as I felt. "How does Amelia know her?"

"She's the librarian at Amelia's school."

"Oh?" The image of Sookie buttoned up in a cardigan and a tight skirt swam before my eyes, and I felt my body react before I could stop it. I wondered if she would discipline me if I was really naughty. Maybe I could rip a few pages out of a text book to get a rise out of her.

"She's from my hometown. I actually met Amelia through her."

"She's from Bon Temps?" I'd been there once with Dawson. I wondered if I'd seen her before and glossed over her. Scratch that, I would've remembered her, no matter where she would have been.

"Yeah. She's Stackhouse's sister."

"Really?" I hadn't realized Jason Stackhouse had a sister. I'd met him a few times when I'd gone out with Dawson. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but the thought of someone like him having a family was a bit of stretch. He was the perfect caricature of a small town jock, a little bit dumb but good looking enough to make up for it.

"Yeah. Hell, I've known her forever and I've never seen her like she was today. Maybe Amelia and I pushed her too far this time. Who knows? You say she didn't say much?"

Not in the car, no. "Not really."

"Hmmm." Dawson tossed back his beer. "I wonder if that asshole Compton had anything to do with it. She seems to get like that whenever he tries to talk to her."

I raised my eyebrow in question.

"Her ex-boyfriend. Did a real doozy on her. Like Amelia said today, he was her first boyfriend. She was a bit of a late bloomer. Well, not so much a late bloomer as over-protected by Jason. He threatened to go after any guy that looked at her sideways with a baseball bat, and we all knew he was crazy enough to do it. So, even though she had a few admirers, no one followed through. That is until Compton rolled into town with his pretty boy ways."

So, she liked pretty boys? Good to know. I had an advantage there.

"They took up together right before her Gran died, then she was pretty much inseparable from him afterwards. That is until she found him with his ex-girlfriend. That was the end of that. That was what, about six months ago?" He shook his head. "I'd kill the son of a bitch if she'd let me. Ain't nobody treats a lady like that, and Sookie is a lady."

"Aw hell," he said, finishing off the last of his beer. "You probably don't give a rat's ass about Sookie's history. I just told Amelia I'd see if I could get any more information out of you. It's clear you don't know anything else."

Oh I knew plenty more, but not anything I was going to pass on to Tray Dawson. I'd have to go about my plan to get Sookie Stackhouse very carefully. But I'd get her. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

**AN: **Hope y'all liked it little doggies. *giggles*


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** So, I think we can all agree that Amelia spilled a little bit too much information, and Tray filled in the rest. Great friends, eh? Well, we've got to get the plot devices moving, so loose lips have definitely sunk Sookie's ship as far as Eric is concerned.

Thanks to everyone for their reviews – I will be the first to admit that I've been terrible at responding to reviews lately *hangs head*. So, as a treat to all of you who review (and those who don't) here is another chapter in less than a week! Gasp, I know. ;^)

Thanks to **Sunkisz** for being a great beta, who puts up with my repetitive mistakes! :D

Still don't own 'em.

**Chapter 5 – Only For Tonight**

**SPOV**

The alarm clock buzzed too early on Monday morning, reminding me of what a fitful night of sleep I had. Between Jason's intrusion and my traitorous mind drifting off to memories of how Eric had kissed me when I was falling asleep, I hadn't gotten more than three hours of sleep. Combine that with the tiny amount of sleep I'd gotten in Tyler, no thanks to one Mr. Eric Northman, and I was in no way ready to face the world.

Unfortunately, I wasn't independently wealthy and had to haul my ass out of bed to start getting ready for the day. I'd been reluctant to agree to take the weekend trip with Amelia because I knew it would inevitably ruin my weekend schedule, and by extension the following week. Unlike Amelia, I wasn't one that rebounded very easily. I was an eight hours a night kind of girl and anything less always screwed up my routine.

I'd been working as a librarian at a private school outside of Shreveport for the past two years. It was at that school that I met Amelia Broadway. She was the school's art teacher and the only other faculty there under the age of 35. We'd bonded immediately. She was the second person I'd ever called my friend, despite my advanced age. I'd only had Tara as a friend when I was growing up in Bon Temps; first because I'd been sheltered by Gran, and later when I'd eventually given up on trying to make friends after I was burned by one too many girls, who only pretended to like me in an attempt to get closer to Jason. Even during my time in college, I hadn't managed to make many friends. I was too focused on schoolwork to get into the party scene, and that hadn't exactly helped my social life.

But Amelia hadn't known anything about me, or about my reputation. She'd latched onto me like Velcro and hadn't pulled herself away. She'd been the friend I talked to about my fears of dating Bill, and was the only person I ever talked to about being a 25 year old virgin. Even Tara thought I'd gotten some while I was at college, thanks to a few hints I'd dropped to help her jump to that conclusion. I suspect some others wondered about my lack of ever having a boyfriend, but no one else really knew for sure. And, just as she'd been there to watch me give my heart away, Amelia was the one there to pick up the pieces when Bill had ripped it out of my chest and stomped on it. Heck, she'd temporarily moved into the old farmhouse with me until I was able to be alone again. She'd moved out around Christmas, moved into an apartment in Shreveport to be closer to Dawson and closer to school.

I'd gotten my undergraduate degree in English, and after spending a year working in a newsroom at the Shreveport Times, I called it quits. As much as I thought I would enjoy it, I wasn't cut out for the business world. I would come home from work every night exhausted and unhappy. Gran had nagged me time and again that I shouldn't stay in a profession I didn't enjoy, and after some serious contemplation, I'd decided to go back to school and get my degree in library sciences. I'd always loved books; they were my means of escape when other kids my age were busy experimenting under the bleachers and I was at home alone on a Friday night. The thought that I could work in a safe environment, filled with my favorite stories and characters, was enough to nudge me back to school.

I could have gotten a job at the local school in Bon Temps, but the thought of working with the same people I'd gone to school with was enough to help me get over the daily drive into Shreveport. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in a classroom with Maudette Pickens, who would inevitably try to get into Jason's pants through me every day. No, I needed to go somewhere that my reputation didn't precede me and Harrison Private School was exactly what I needed. Truth be told, I enjoyed the drive on the quiet roads in the morning. I was used to being alone. I liked being alone. Plus, it didn't hurt to be in a quiet space when you were preparing for a day filled with two-hundred 5 to 15 year olds. Don't get me wrong, I liked kids. You would be crazy to work in a school if you didn't. But they didn't make for easy days.

I tried to push thoughts of the weekend out of my mind as I drove into school to no avail. Of course I was going to think about what had happened. My normal routine consisted of going home and spending the night with my cat and the television. Doing something so wild, so adventurous as having a one-night stand – even a miserably failed one – wasn't something I could sweep under my bed with last year's sweaters. No, the images were burned in my brain whether I wanted them there or not.

If only I'd been stronger. If only I'd told Amelia that no, I didn't want to go with her. Heck, she'd only been able to convince me to go with her because it was so late in the year and I knew that in two week's time, I'd have the entire summer at my disposal to do as I pleased.

This would be the first summer where I had absolutely no concrete plans. I had volunteered to work summer school last year; the weight of Gran's death was too heavy to imagine living at the house with nothing to do for nearly three months. I had Bill then, sure, but even then I knew that he wasn't enough to fill the void Gran left entirely. I'd taken solace in the long hours of summer school, volunteering to do more than what was required of me so that I didn't have to be in Gran's house alone. But one year later, I was ready to be alone. I was more comfortable with who I was, and who I could be. I didn't need any distractions. Well, at least I hadn't needed any distractions before this weekend. Now, I wanted to do anything that would make me think about something else other than Eric Northman's declaration and his smirk as I pulled away from him.

Monday went by in a blur, from the moment I pulled up to the empty school building at 7:15, through the seven hours of the school day. I was happy to be busy, too busy to think about anything except what I needed to do for the kids. When the bell rang at 3:30 and the students left, I sank down at the chair at my desk, grateful to be able to sit down for the first time all day.

I was in the middle of putting away an array of books the third graders had pulled out, when the door burst open and Amelia's tiny frame flew into the library.

"Sookie Stackhouse!" she exclaimed, not even bothering to say hello. "I was getting ready to send out a search party for you if you didn't call me back."

"Hey Amelia," I said.

"I know you're probably mad at me for leaving you in Tyler, and then making you ride home with Eric, but you could have at least called or texted and let me know you were okay."

"It's not that," I responded. Well, it was that, at least to a certain extent. "After I left you, I went home to find that I had some visitors. And after kicking Jason and his naked girlfriend out of my bed, I was too tired to call you back." _And, I really don't want to talk to anyone about my one-night stand who happens to be your boyfriend's friend._

"You what?" she screeched, sitting down on my paper-filled desk. "Jason had a girl at your _house?"_

"Yep. In my bed."

"What an asshole." That was putting it mildly.

"Pretty much. Then he got pissed that I kicked him out and let his temper get the best of him."

"What did he say?"

"He told me that it was no wonder that Bill left me."

"He didn't!"

"He did."

"Please tell me you kicked him in the balls."

I shrugged. "No. You know I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. I told him I didn't want to see him again anytime soon."

"Good. Oh God, no wonder you didn't call me back. And there I was worried about what you thought of me, while you were going through that. I'm such a selfish bitch. I'm sorry Sookie. What a shitty weekend you had, eh?"

"Yeah, it wasn't the best weekend of my life." Okay, so one part had been pretty darned amazing, but that was the part that I planned to take to me with the grave.

"I can imagine."

I doubted it.

Amelia began pacing back and forth while I continued to replace the books in the stacks, a habit she had when she was worried. I could almost see the light bulb go off over her head before her face broke out into a wry smile. "Well, we'll just have to come up with a way to help you forget all about it."

"Make me forget about what?" I couldn't imagine what she thought she could do to make me forget the sight of Jason's naked ass greeting me on Sunday afternoon.

Amelia waved her hand in dismissal. "About Jason silly. That brother of yours has been ruining your social and sex life for far too long."

"And you're going to help me with that… how?" I asked.

"I know you won't agree to go out this weekend, but you can't argue with me once school is out. We're going to go out next Friday night," she said with a nod. "We'll get dressed up and hit the town. Maybe we can find a new man to make you forget all about Bill."

_Bill Who?___After my interlude with Cowboy Eric less than forty-eight hours ago, Bill was nothing but a distant memory. After my decision to let loose had backfired on me with Eric, I didn't think I should be doing anything that broke my routine. It never seemed to work out well for me.

"I don't know Amelia. You know I'm not a big partier. I think one night out a month is more than enough."

"Oh hush," she said, shaking her head dismissively. "What you need is to have some fun, which you might have had this weekend if I hadn't gotten drunk and ditched you. Sorry about that by the way." I nodded. "It'll be fun. I promise not to leave you again."

"Dawson out of town next weekend?" I asked with a smirk.

"Very funny Sookie Stackhouse," Amelia said, and planted her hands on her hips. "But you're right. He won't be there. We can ease into the night. You know Victor is having that end of the year dinner in town. All the teachers are going to go out afterwards. We can go with them and make fun of Debbie Pelt's attempts at getting in his pants. We don't even have to stay out late."

I reluctantly agreed. Principal Madden had a tendency to stand a little too close for comfort around me. He'd been hired on this past year, and had taken a special interest in the library. Such a special interest that his eyes never seemed to stray too far away from my boobs. But he was my boss, and technically he hadn't done anything inappropriate.

I only hoped it stayed that way.

***

The rest of the week flew by, as did the following. The end of the year was always full of last minute projects the students and teachers needed the library for, which I was happy to assist with. I used the extra work to stay in Shreveport longer and avoid Bon Temps – between Jason and Bill, there was enough to steer clear of, and the town wasn't really big enough to allow much avoidance.

Before I knew it, the last day of school was over. Once I'd said my tearful goodbyes to my students for the year, I found myself at home and getting ready for a night out on the town. The faculty was meeting up for dinner in Shreveport at 7, which meant Amelia and I were planning to meet up for a drink or two at 6:30. There was no way I could go out in a public setting with the social misfits that made up the rest of the faculty, or handle Victor Madden's leers without some liquid courage. That gave me just enough time to drive home, shower and change into something a little more appropriate for a night out on the town.

I sprayed myself with a shot of perfume and gave myself one last look in the mirror before I headed out the door. It'd been two weeks since Tyler, TX, and looking at myself in the mirror, in my conservative jeans and cardigan, there was no way you could associate the brazen buckle bunny with me. I looked like a school librarian that was going out for the night. It was what I was, and it was exactly what I wanted to project.

My cell phone buzzed as I was heading out the door, and I looked to see Jason's number flash across the screen. He hadn't tried to contact me since I'd kicked him out of my house, which was a good thing. I'd forgive him eventually, he was my brother, but now wasn't the time. I sent the call to voicemail and hopped into my car to head into Shreveport.

Amelia was ready and waiting at her apartment when I got there. She insisted upon driving, one because she hated my car, and two because she said that she owed it to me to play the responsible party tonight so that I could "get hopped up and make some bad decisions." Little did she know, I'd already done both of those, and not so very long ago.

"Can you even imagine what Debbie is going to wear tonight?" Amelia asked with a giggle as we walked into the bar on Texas Street. Last year Debbie had shown up at the end of the year party wearing a miniskirt that barely covered her ass and a scrap of fabric that was an excuse for a shirt. She'd quickly drank too much and thrown herself at Principal Madden, who couldn't have been any less interested.

"She was telling me that she went shopping specially for this. Ten bucks she looks like a fricking Bratz doll."

"That's not fair Sookie. Debbie always dresses like a Bratz doll."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Okay. A really slutty Bratz doll?"

"They're _all_ slutty Sookie."

"Is that what you based my outfit last weekend on? Cowgirl Bratz?"

Amelia roared with laughter as we sat down and the waitress took our drink orders. "Yes, Sookie. That's exactly it. Hey, you never told me what happened after I left. Did you meet anyone interesting?" She waggled her eyebrows at me.

"You know I'm not like that Amelia." I squirmed a bit in my seat, glad that she was too busy watching the people around us to really scrutinize my face. I wasn't a very good liar.

"You should be. Just because that asshole screwed you over it shouldn't make you afraid to seek out other men. You're a woman. You've got womanly needs that need to be scratched." Oh they had been. Scratched until they didn't itch anymore.

I took a sip of the gin and tonic the waitress set down in front of me and looked over the full glass at her.

"I'm fine Amelia. I don't need a boyfriend."

She rolled her eyes at me. "No one _needs _a boyfriend Sookie. It's just nice to have one. Oh, speaking of, what did you think of Tray's friend Eric?"

I nearly dropped my glass. Why in the hell would she be asking me about Eric? Had he told Dawson about us? I would kill him. I would hunt him down and rip his limbs from his body.

"What about him?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, Tray said that he was asking about you."

"What did he ask?" He didn't seem like the type of guy that would kiss and tell, but hell, you never knew what boys said when they were alone together.

"Oh, just general stuff. But he's pretty hot Sook. Hell, if I weren't with Tray, I'd be chasing after that. He's a fucking Swedish cowboy. It's like the best of both worlds."

And he was amazing in the sack to boot.

"I guess," I said.

"You guess? Shit Sook, if you can't admit that a man like Eric Northman is good looking, I don't know that there's help for you."

"Okay, okay, he's unbelievably attractive. But I'm not interested. A man like that looks like he's made to break a girl's heart, and I'm not in the market for having my heart broken. "

"So don't put your heart out there. Hell, you never went wild. You owe it to yourself to have a no-strings fling. Every girl should have one at some point in their life."

"I don't think I'm cut out for that Amelia," I said, though the idea was appealing. Knowing my luck, I'd end up falling for my no-string fling and getting my heart stomped on. Again. It was better for me if I steered clear of men all together.

"We'll get you there Sook," she said.

***

The remaining members of our party trickled in throughout the next half hour, and we were through with dinner by 9, which was quite the feat given that we were comprised of 15 people. Amelia had somehow let it leak that she and I were planning to stay out for awhile, which led to a group of 7 making the journey towards Shreveport's hottest bar, The Ambassador. The bar had been open for a few years and had a great reputation in Shreveport, but I had never been. Between the long drive back to Bon Temps, and Bill who had never wanted to go anywhere outside of Bon Temps, I hadn't really had the opportunity.

The bar was crowded when we got there, the clientele a mixture of young and old, casual and dressy. It didn't really seem to have a niche market, and was one of the few places I had been where just about anyone could walk in and feel comfortable. Amelia managed to locate a table that was big enough for our group if we were willing to squeeze into tight quarters. That, of course, meant that Victor managed to squeeze in next to me and continue his less than stellar attempts to get a peak down my shirt without me catching on. Let's just say he wouldn't make it in the spy world.

"Ms. Stackhouse," he said as he leaned towards my ear, the cocktails he'd imbibed in the first hour at The Ambassador completely erasing his sense of personal space.

"Yes?" I asked, trying my best to keep the irritation I was feeling out of my voice.

"Have I told you how fetch you look today?"

_Fetch?___Who did he think he was? Gretchen Wieners?

"You did." Like a thousand times. I pulled farther away from him, well as far as the sitting conditions would allow.

"You've been a great addition to the school." He'd yet to look in my eyes.

"Thank you, Principal Madden."

"Victor," he said with a smile, darting up to meet my eyes for a second before returning to the buttons on my cardigan. "I'd like to think of us as friends."

"Erm…" I said, trailing off as I desperately looked around for an out before he came any closer to me.

"Would you like to be… friends Miss Stackhouse?" he leered, leaning in until I could feel his breath of my cheek. Okay, this was getting old. While he still hadn't done, or said anything that could be construed as crossing the line, he was getting dangerously close, and the last thing I wanted was to see what he was like on the other side.

I scanned the group, almost all of whom had the glassy eyes that went with drinking just a bit too much. I spotted Amelia at a nearby table talking to a petite blonde woman, and looking like she hadn't kept her promise of staying responsible and sober, not that I was surprised. When I wasn't able to catch anyone's attention, I decided to take matters into my own hand. I reached down and picked up my gin and tonic, draining it as quickly as I could. "I think I'll just go grab another drink, eh?" Through a superhuman effort, I managed to work my way out of my space between the wall and Victor's roaming eyes without spilling the ice remaining in my glass everywhere.

I kept my head down as I headed towards the bathroom, unwilling to look anyone in the eye lest they tried to stop me on my mission. I set my empty glass down on a table outside of the bathroom door and stepped inside, taking a deep breath at the sanctity of being alone. After splashing cool water on my face, making sure to avoid the eye makeup I'd painstakingly applied, I looked at myself in the mirror and scrutinized the reflection before me. There was nothing about me that proclaimed "come hither." In fact, I thought I looked like a bit of a prude. Maybe Victor had a thing for the librarian look. Hell, there were a lot of men that seemed to have that fantasy, but it was more than a little creepy that my boss appeared to be one of them. I'd have to be careful not to wear my glasses around him.

I tugged slightly at the cardigan Victor had been scrutinizing to make sure that everything was in place. When I reassured myself that I hadn't been too terribly exposed to his wandering eyes, I squared my shoulders and decided to head back out. I would just have to be more careful about putting myself into an awkward position with Victor. I could keep my distance. The bar would be closing in an hour anyway. I could keep myself out of trouble for sixty minutes, right?

I stepped back into the bar and surveyed the crowd. I looked over at the long table I'd vacated and smiled when I saw that Victor had gone from predator to prey. Debbie Pelt, in her tight hot pink cat suit was practically on top of him. From the look in her eyes, I knew that I wouldn't have to be worrying about Victor Madden anymore that night.

Feeling worlds lighter, I pushed my way through the men and women standing along the dance floor until I made my way up to the long wooden bar. I could understand why this bar was so popular – the atmosphere certainly lent itself to letting loose. Everything was exactly as it should be in a bar, the drinks were well made, the music fit the mood appropriately, the décor was subtle and sexy, and hell, even the wait staff was fittingly beautiful. We'd have to come back sometime when we didn't have the Harrison crew in tow.

I elbowed my way between two giggly college girls and ordered two drinks once I managed to catch the attention of the Amazonian bartender with her exotic looks and perfectly golden skin. As I waited for my drinks, I looked down at the expanse of skin exposed by my cardigan and made note that it was definitely time to get back into the sun. I'd been able to maintain a healthy glow all year, but I was getting pale. I knew that tanning was bad for me, but it was the one vice I allowed myself to partake in. Something to look forward to since I didn't really like drinking and sex was out of the question in my near future.

I quickly downed one gin and tonic as soon as I paid the bartender, relishing in the comfort of the liquid as it burned its way down my chest. It wasn't that I wasn't having a good time. I was. But it was no surprise that alcohol always helped in these situations, so long as I didn't drink too much. I winced as I remembered how loose my inhibitions had been two weeks ago thanks to the stuff I was drinking, but shrugged it off. I'd gone two weeks without Eric's decree of pursuing me go into place. Maybe that was his act. Maybe he said that to all the girls he slept with in order to make them feel important. Not that I'd felt important. I'd felt stalked if anything. But, whatever, he hadn't followed through. That's what was important.

I felt a tap on my right shoulder as I set down the empty glass and was about to turn around when I a much larger body pinned me against the bar. My sense of outrage at the over familiarity was quickly erased when the body's owner's scent reached my nostrils.

_You've got to be fucking kidding me._

"You might want to slow down there darlin'," a deep, familiar voice said in my ear, its hot breath sending shivers down my spine. I turned my head, unable to do much more, and met a pair of assessing, cool blue eyes belonging to none other than Eric Northman.

Fuck déjà vu.

**AN:** Hope you liked it! They're meeting again and Eric's inner cocky asshole is coming out in the next chapter *giggles* Do y'all like when cocky Eric comes out to play?


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Again, thanks to everyone who is reading this story – your alerts, favorites, reviews are amazing.

Thanks to Sunkisz for being a fantastic beta (as always)

And thanks to Charlaine Harris for creating these two kids, so that I could stick 'em in some cowboy boots and see if they can go for 8 seconds ;)

For a little self-pimpage, if you weren't already aware, I have a second story going at the moment called **Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang** where Eric and Sookie are secret agents on a mission. Link is in my profile.

The last time we left our daring duo, Eric had spotted Sookie – or more appropriately, _pinned _Sookie against the bar. And here's where we see her reaction. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 6 – Only for Tonight**

**EPOV**

I couldn't believe my eyes when the blonde head I'd been watching turned around to reveal Sookie Stackhouse in my bar. I'd seen plenty of blonde women in the last two weeks, always hoping that they'd turn out to be my little Bunny. Believe me, I knew that the chances were slim given the number of blondes in the population of Louisiana, but that didn't mean I couldn't hope for the best.

I would have thought that two weeks would have helped erase her memory some, but it hadn't. If anything, seeing her across the room, wearing that buttoned up sweater and looking as innocent as a woman could, made me want her more. I'd have to play this right. As much as I wanted to pursue her when she drove away, I didn't figure that going into stalker mode would get me anywhere. No. If it was going to happen, it wouldn't be because I forced myself on her. Sure, I might nudge it a bit, but I wasn't about to make myself a nuisance. I'd had too many women throw themselves into my path to go about this haphazardly.

I kept my distance for awhile, watching as Pam chatted up Amelia, and Sookie was left to her own devices. I didn't like how one of the men in the group was looking at Sookie, or at least looking at her breasts. Hey, I couldn't blame the guy for looking, but frankly it pissed me off. I felt possessive over Sookie's body; knowing I was only the second person that had touched her, had tasted her, brought out the caveman in me.

I surveyed the two of them from afar, grateful that I could remain anonymous while I examined their relationship. They didn't look like they were together, but then Sookie didn't appear to have a problem with his Superman x-ray vision impression as he ogled her chest. And from what I could tell, Sookie didn't seem like the type of girl that would put up with that. Hell, I'd seen her shoot down John Quinn for less than that.

I clenched my fists when I saw the man lean in and whisper something in her ear. Oh, I knew that I had no right to feel jealous, but that didn't mean I liked watching another man move in on her. I saw the stiffening of her spine, the desperate glint in her eyes as she looked at the group around her, as the mystery man leered at her, and couldn't help myself from smiling when she quickly finished her drink and excused herself.

I couldn't claim that I knew much about Sookie. I knew I liked her, that she did things to me that no other woman had done to me before; but I couldn't tell you much about her other than that. Good thing I was a quick read of character. In one night, I'd picked up on the fact that she drank when she couldn't control the situation. I watched as she weaved her way through the crowd and was disappointed for once at how crowded the bar was, when her small frame was encompassed by the group of frat boys that were congregating by the pool tables.

I spotted her a few minutes later standing at the bar and decided to make my move. Who knew if I'd have the opportunity to get her alone again tonight? I waited behind her as she was handed her drinks, watched with a smirk as she drank one quickly and was reminded of how I'd approached her the first night. Weighing my options, I figured I'd go with the same thing that had worked for me the first time.

I placed my hands on the bar on either side of her, unable to stop myself from pressing my body into hers once I was close to her.

"You might want to slow down there darlin'," I whispered in her ear, smiling with satisfaction when I felt her body stiffen underneath me. She unwittingly pressed her denim clad ass against me, causing an immediate physical reaction from me. Hell, I hadn't gone hard that quick in years. She was like my own personal fountain of youth, or at least my dick's fountain of youth. Her head turned slowly, her eyes meeting my own with a hint of shock and accusation.

"You," she whispered.

"Me," I responded. The noise of the bar fell into the distance as I concentrated on her face, her lips, the delicious way her body was pressing against mine.

"Is that your go-to pick up line there cowboy?" she asked with a smile.

"It worked out pretty well for me last time. Why fix something that isn't broken?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed backwards, pressing herself further into my immobile body. There were advantages to being as large as I was.

"Are you planning on having me up against the bar all night?" she asked with an edge of exasperation in her voice.

"Now, there's an idea. Though, I didn't take you for an exhibitionist there Sookie."

I saw the realization hit her face, watched as the blush rose above that prim cardigan she was wearing. As much as I'd enjoyed her bold side, I had to admit that I liked making her uncomfortable. It was a form of foreplay I wasn't used to, and I looked forward to making her squirm more. Anything to get her interacting with me.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." She turned her head forward, refusing to look at me.

Even I knew I was being an asshole. That didn't mean I was able to control it.

"It may not have been what you meant, but you've got to admit it's got a hell of a ring to it."

"Maybe I wasn't clear enough in your truck," she said, spinning around in my arms until she was facing me. "I. Am. Not. Interested."

"No, you were real clear about that Bunny." Fuck if I couldn't stop myself from using her nickname just to get a rise out of her.

"Jesus Christ," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Is that what you're calling me now?" I asked with a smirk. "You did seem fond of calling me God last time."

"Do you get off on being an asshole?"

"Sometimes," I admitted with a shrug. "But I don't need to be an asshole to get turned on by you. Just being near you is enough to make me horny." I punctuated my sentence by pressing the evidence of my arousal against her stomach. It was against my better judgment. I knew that I was toeing the harassment line, but she had seemed to like this side of me in Texas. The look she gave me could've killed a hoard of baby kittens.

"Are you kidding me right now?" she asked, her voice going shrill. "Do you really think that pressing your hard-on into my stomach is going to make me want you?"

So much for making her squirm. Disciplinarian Sookie had come out to play, and I was the one caught off guard. I couldn't say I didn't enjoy it. God, I was a sick fuck when it came to this one.

I shrugged. "Probably not."

"Yet you do it anyway? You're as pigheaded as my students."

"Do your students walk around with hard-ons all the time when they're around you too?"

"You're impossible."

"What can I say? Something about you makes me lose my sense of reason."

"Lucky me."

"Okay," I said, taking a step backwards. "I can tell you aren't amused Bunny. As much as I like riling you up, I can tell you mean business."

She took advantage of the distance and ducked under my arm. "How sweet of you," she said with a smirk as she picked up the glass behind her. "You're actually using your brain. Now, as much fun as this has been for both of us, I think I'll be getting back to my friends. You know, the ones that show they like me in more creative ways than pressing their dick into me."

I leaned in towards her, close enough that I knew she could feel my breath on her ear. "Are you asking me to get creative? I think I've proven my ability in that arena to you a few times."

"Unbelievable."

"But entirely possible. If you ask real nice."

"You don't have to worry about that happening anytime soon."

"You wanna bet on that one Bunny?"

"Are you really that willing to throw your money away Eric?"

"I never place a bet I know I won't win."

"You wouldn't win this one, Eric Northman. Of that I can guarantee."

She sounded so sure of herself. If I weren't so sure that she would give in, if I didn't know how she could get so hot after being so cold, I might have left it at that. But no, this was my Bunny, and I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"I wouldn't be throwing around words like guarantee there. You never know what can change. I reckon you weren't planning on leaving that honkytonk in Tyler with me, but you did."

She shrugged. "We all make mistakes."

"Admit it Sookie Stackhouse," I said with a laugh. "There's a part of you, deep down inside that likes me."

She looked up at me, without a word for a few minutes before shaking her head with a smile. "Keep on dreaming, Northman," she said over her shoulder as she turned around and walked away.

I'd won that round. Sure, the war was far from over, but I could take that victory.

***

**SPOV**

The man was unfuckingbelievable.

Yes, he was good looking; yes, being around him made me a little weak in the knee; yes, I could admit to myself (and only myself) that his form of flirting made me laugh, but that just made it all the worse. I'd grown up with Jason Stackhouse, King of Womanizers, who used his good looks to get away with all sorts of behavior. I'd seen far too many women succumb to his asshole behavior because they were desperate to get into bed with him. And Eric Northman had way more than my brother could ever dream of having in the looks department; I could only imagine the number of women that had swooned when he pulled out the Rico Suave moves on them. I wasn't going to be another one. Well, at least not again. Fuck.

I felt his eyes boring into the back of my skull as I walked away, but I wasn't going to turn around. I'd gotten the last word. Sure, he'd won most of our verbal spar (how exactly does one respond to someone who so unabashedly talks about you causing their erection), but I'd had the last word. It was probably the only time that had ever happened to Eric Northman, and for that I could claim a small victory.

"Sookie," Amelia called, waving me over to the table she was sharing with the same blonde from earlier. "This is Pam."

"Hi Pam," I said with a nod in the direction of the pretty blonde. She looked familiar, like I should know her from somewhere. "How do the two of you know each other?"

"She's Eric's cousin," Amelia interjected before Pam could answer for herself.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said before I could stop myself. Damn, even my manners were a thing of the past.

"Guilty as charged," Pam said with a slight shrug.

"Sorry. That was rude of me."

"You know Eric?" Pam asked with a smirk.

"Yes, I've had the pleasure of meeting him."

"And you aren't swooning at the mere thought of him? My, don't tell me I'm lucky enough to have a girl like you batting for my team."

I was a bit slow on the uptake, thanks in part to the last gin I'd shot-gunned, but realization dawned on me and my mouth fell open.

"So, not the case?" Pam asked. I shook my head. "Well, I can't say that I'm not disappointed for myself, but that might be even better. A pretty, straight woman who isn't pulled into my cousin's allure? You're sure we're talking about the same Eric Northman?" I nodded. "The one that is staring holes into me right now?" She inclined her head, and I knew without turning around who she was directing my attention towards.

"One and the same, I'm sure."

"Wow. That's a first."

Amelia, who had silently been watching our interplay, broke in. "Sookie didn't like him from the minute she saw him in Tyler."

Pam looked over my head at Eric, and then back at me, her eyes widening in shock.

"Don't tell me you're the one he drove back?" I nodded. "Which means that you're Dawson's girlfriend?" Amelia nodded. "I wondered if I'd ever meet you. Alcide told me that Eric had his panties in a twist over some girl he'd met. I can see why." Her eyes raked over me. "He always did have a thing for librarian types."

Too bad I hadn't been the librarian type when he'd taken the particular liking to me.

"Oh, it must be killing him to have you here. Did you talk to him yet?"

I nodded.

"No wonder he's looking at me like he wants to kill me. I don't think I've ever seen him react like this about any girl. You must be something special."

"Not really," I said with a shrug. "I think I'm the first girl who has ever turned down his advances."

"You'd be the first straight girl I've met that has," Pam said and laughed raucously, throwing her head back.

"Great," I said with a frown. "Well, it hasn't seemed to put him off any."

"He's really not a bad guy, as far as men go. He's just a little too good looking and charming for his own good."

"I'll give you good looking," I said with a frown. "But charming? Hardly."

"No, it's true. He's never really had to work at getting a girl before. They usually fling themselves at his feet." She sat back and assessed me for a moment before continuing. "I think you'll be good for him."

"I don't think so," I said defiantly. "I don't plan on seeing him again. Or, if I do, certainly not enough to be anything to him."

She gave me a knowing look and smiled. "Things have a way of happening when you don't plan on them."

"Yeah, well, as far as I'm concerned, your cousin is the last person I'm going to let anywhere near me."

If only.

***

I decided I liked Pam within a matter of minutes. It was a shame that she was related to the thorn in my side, but she seemed to dislike him almost as much as I did. Well, okay, neither of us exactly disliked him, but she seemed to enjoy my defiance towards him, which only encouraged me more.

I saw him watching us as he manned the bar; I couldn't stop myself from looking over towards him after taking the shots that Pam ordered for us. His eyes were trained on me every time I looked in his direction, the corners of his mouth turning into that knowing smirk. Damn him. Why did I have this reaction to him? He was a prize dick. I giggled at the double meaning of that thought before forcing myself to stop. He was an asshole, and he knew it. And he enjoyed it. Hell, if I weren't his victim, I'd enjoy it too. Okay, maybe I did kind of enjoy it. I'd never been pursued by a man, and certainly not one that was as good looking as Eric Northman. But no. I needed to stand firm on my thoughts towards him. It was too dangerous of a territory if I let myself weaken at all.

"Wow," Amelia said with a hiccup, nodding her head towards Eric. She was clearly farther along the drunk train than I was. "He really hasn't stopped looking at you all night."

"Who?" I asked. Who was I kidding? I knew who.

"Eric. I wondered if he liked you."

"What? Why would you think that?" Okay, maybe the way he was eye-fucking me every time I turned around?

"Besides the obvious way he's watching you like he wants to throw you up against a wall and rip all your clothes off?" I groaned, partially in frustration and partially because I was remembering exactly what that was like.

"He did seem pretty interested when I was telling him about – oh!" she exclaimed, clasping her hand over her mouth.

Oh shit. God knew I loved Amelia, but the mouth on that one had gotten me into way too much trouble in the past to think that this would be a good "oh".

"About what, Amelia?" I asked, trying to concentrate hard enough to frown in her direction. It was increasingly hard to be anything but happy with this much alcohol coursing through my veins. "What did you tell him about?"

"Erm…" she trailed off.

"What did you tell him?" I demanded, sounding a little desperate even to myself.

"Well… I kind of let it slip about Bill."

"What about Bill?" I asked, feeling the heat rise up from my chest. Great. This is just what I needed, to have the man who could twist me up with one look knowing about my asshole of an ex-boyfriend.

"Erm… I may have told him that Bill was your first boyfriend."

"Amelia!" I exclaimed.

"It was right after you drove off. I was telling Tray that we shouldn't have had you ride back with someone like Eric given your relative inexperience with men."

"You told him I was inexperienced?" I screeched. In one instant, I was completely sober. Oh my God. I was mortified. Why not plaster a sign on my forehead?

"Not really," she said in a small voice. I looked over at Pam and saw that she was watching our interaction intently with a smirk.

"I mean," Amelia continued. "I was worried that you were upset with me and – "

"And you thought you'd make it better by telling a stranger that I was a 25 year old virgin?"

"No! No. I…" she trailed off. "I'm sorry Sook. I didn't mean to. It just slipped out."

"Fuck Amelia, and you're supposed to be my best friend?" I closed my eyes and shook my head. He sure as hell hadn't treated me like an inexperienced woman, neither back in Texas or while he was showing me his evident arousal against the bar. God, he must've been having such a laugh at my expense. What in the hell had I done to deserve this? First Jason, and now Amelia? God only knew what my other "friends" had done to ruin my life lately.

"Sookie, it was a mistake. I'm sorry," Amelia pled.

"No." I stood up and pushed away from the table, knocking over the chair I'd been sitting in. I had to get away, to get as far away from Amelia as I possibly could. "I don't want to hear it from you."

I spun around on my heel and headed towards the bathroom. It was the one place I knew in this wretched bar that I could be alone. I didn't want to go back to the table with my colleagues and the bar was off limits thanks to one tall, blond cowboy who apparently knew that I was less than experienced. Oh hell, who was I kidding? He'd probably suspected it from the minute he kissed me. Maybe he'd laughed at me; at my miserable attempt to be a seductress for one night.

Once inside, I sank down to the ground, not caring how filthy the floor of a bar's bathroom may be. I couldn't believe it. I felt betrayed by my best friend. My only friend. Even if she hadn't done it on purpose, she'd told the one man I knew who didn't think I was a complete prude that I was. There was no way I could look him in the eyes again, not if he knew about my past.

I heard the door open and straightened up as quickly as I could. "You alright there honey?" the middle-aged woman asked, her eyes full of understanding. I nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little too much to drink," I said with a timid smile.

"We've all been there sugar," she said with a knowing smile. "Look. Not that it's any of my business, but there's a young man out there that asked me to check in on you. You want me to tell him anything?"

That was it. That was fucking it. The blond haired devil picked the wrong time to push my buttons. These last two weeks had been a nightmare. Hell, this last six months had been a nightmare. Finding out about Bill's betrayal; failing at my attempt to step outside of my prim box in Tyler; finding Jason in a less than delicate position and now Amelia too? It was too much to swallow down. I needed to lash out at someone; why not Eric Northman? At least I wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions if I went off on him. "No thank you. I can handle that one myself."

I pushed the door open violently, searching the faces around me for those damned blue eyes I was sure I would find waiting for me. But instead of Eric's blue eyes, I was met with Victor Madden's drunken brown ones. My anger quickly gave way to irritation.

"You alright there Ms. Stackhouse?" he slurred, taking a step closer to me.

"I'm fine," I said with as much of a smile as I could muster.

"I was wondering where you'd run off to." He stopped when he was inches away from my face, clearly losing all sense of personal space thanks to his good friend Jack Daniels.

"I just went to get another drink Principal Madden."

"I thought we agreed that you'd call me Victor." He enunciated the last syllable of his name, his lips so close to my face that I could feel their movement.

"Principal Madden… Victor," I started. "I appreciate your concern, but I think we should head back to the table before they start to miss us."

"I don't think they'll miss us," he said, stepping even closer. I took a few steps backwards, cursing the dark lighting in the bathroom hallway.

"I don't know about that," I said, looking around anxiously for a way out. "I think Ms. Pelt might notice."

A smile broke out on his face as he once again closed the distance. "Ah yes, Ms. Pelt. Does her attention towards me bother you?"

I laughed nervously. "Why would it bother me?"

"I've noticed the way you've looked at me tonight," he said with a smile.

_Uh, yeah. He'd noticed that I was looking at him like he was a leper?_ I doubted it.

"You don't have to hide your feelings towards me Ms. Stackhouse," he continued. "We can keep it our secret."

"Secret?"

I started to feel like a cornered animal as he continued to advance upon me. Shit. I had nowhere to go. We'd nearly reached the end of the hallway, not another soul in sight. What was I going to do? I couldn't knee him the balls, couldn't scream and draw attention to us. He was my boss. Seriously. What in the hell had I done to deserve this string of events?

"Yes," he said, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I shuddered at his touch, but not in a good way. "We don't have to tell anyone about your crush on me."

I laughed. He thought I had a crush on him? He _was_ delusional. "Victor. I don't know what to say about that."

"You don't have to say anything Ms. Stackhouse," he leered, leaning forward and brushing his lips across my cheek.

"Victor," I screeched. "I don't think this is –"

"There you are," a deep, familiar, and for once, welcome voice said. I looked up to see the blue eyes I'd sworn I wouldn't have wanted to see again, and laughed at the irony of how grateful I was to see their owner again.

"Excuse me," Victor said, barely turning around to see the intruder. "We don't need your help."

"I don't believe I asked if you did," Eric said, leaning casually against the wall. "But it looks like the lady here isn't interested in your attentions."

Victor's eyes bulged at that accusation, filling with fire and spite. I couldn't help but laugh when he turned around and saw the size of our intruder. Eric smiled down at me as Victor took a step backwards.

"Sookie," Victor said, "should we head back?" Oh sure, now he was interested in heading back? Asshole.

"Why don't you run along alone? I've got some business to take care of with Mr. Northman here."

Victor's eyes darted between Eric and me before he turned around and scampered back to whatever hole he'd come from.

"I can't leave you alone for ten minutes Bunny," Eric said with a smile, still leaning against the wall.

"More like you _won't _leave me alone for ten minutes."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I should've left you backed into the corner by that guy. Forgive me for trying to help."

"I could have handled it. I've handled a lot worse," I said, looking Eric up and down, which was met with a loud laugh.

"You're saying I'm worse than that rat?" he inclined his head in the direction that Victor had scampered off to.

I shrugged.

"Alright," he said with a smirk. "How about I do the gentlemanly thing and walk you back to Amelia? Make sure you don't get into any more trouble?"

I rolled my eyes at the sound of Amelia's name. "Like Amelia would know what to do. I'll just leave by myself, thank you." Somehow. Fuck. I didn't have a car.

"Sookie, I'm not letting you leave here alone. You're in no condition to drive, and after seeing that display, I don't think you're safe by yourself."

"You think I'm safer with you?" I asked with a laugh. "You, who has outright told me exactly what you want to do to me? I don't think so."

"At least you know what to expect from me," he said with a shrug.

He had a point there.

"And, I'm not interested in making you do something you don't want to."

"Oh yeah? What would you call pursuing me after I've told you no a thousand times?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to persuade you. I just won't force myself on you. You'll come around soon enough."

"God, you're so sure of yourself."

"Why shouldn't I be? Look," he said, taking a step closer to me. "I have told you, and I'll tell you again. I like you. I know you like me. We know we're good together. Why should we fight it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I don't appreciate you laughing at me?"

His jovial smile turned serious. "What are you talking about Sookie?"

He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the open doorway of an office, not letting go until the door was closed behind us.

"I'd like to have an understanding of what I'm being accused of Bunny," he said when he saw the panic in my eyes. "And I didn't figure you'd want to make a scene in public. Don't worry, I can control myself."

"Oh, don't pretend you don't know. Amelia told me ten minutes ago that you know about Bill, about my inexperience with men. The last thing I need after that is for you to pretend you don't know. One person lying to me a night is more than enough, thank you."

"Why would I pretend I don't know?" he asked. "But I fail to see how that translates into me laughing at you."

"You can stop pretending you're interested in me. I get it. I'm a novelty. A 26 year old who has only slept with one person, and couldn't even hold his interest. It's a laugh. Very funny."

Eric grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes; the fire in them made me weak in the knees. "I don't know where in the hell you got such a ridiculous idea Bunny," he said, so low that I had to strain my ears to hear him. "I had no fucking clue of your history when I saw you in that honkytonk, and after the way we were together, the things you did to me, I hardly believed it when it came out of Amelia's lips. Do I know that you haven't slept around much?" He shrugged. "Yes. Does that matter to me? Fuck no."

He pulled his hand away from my face and ran it through his hair. "I don't know what in the hell I've done to make you think that of me. Hell, from what I can tell, I might be the only honest person in your life. Or, at least the only one that tells you exactly what I want from you."

Even if his words had a ring of truth to them, I was too pissed off at the world to admit it. "Oh yeah, excuse me for not thanking you. You're right. You're a great guy because you tell me that you want to get in my pants."

"Goddammit Sookie," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "If you think that's all I'm interested in, then maybe you are as naïve as you are afraid I think you are."

When I didn't say anything, couldn't say anything, he continued. "Look. There's no reason for you to fight with me. You're pissed at Amelia. Hell, I would be too if I were in your position. But don't take it out on me. Is there someone that can take you home?"

I shook my head. God, I was pathetic. Friendless, 26 year old near-virgin.

"Let me drive you home."

"I don't need your pity."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "It's not pity."

"Well, whatever it is, I don't need it. I can call a cab."

"That's ridiculous. Let me drive you home. I promise to be on my best behavior. I won't even kiss back if you try to kiss me," he said with a smirk.

**AN:** So… do ya think she's going to try and kiss him? *giggles*


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **Yeehaw. Without further ado, we're onto the next chapter.

**Chapter 7 – Only for Tonight**

**EPOV**

I hadn't intended on being a prick around Sookie Stackhouse, but it seemed inevitable. Something about her defiance towards me brought out my inner Christian Bale. I liked raising her hackles.

You would think that I would have given up at her first dismissal -- and I might have if I was only thinking with what was in my pants -- but I wasn't. Yes, my actions may have been saying something else, but again, Sookie + Me = Prick Eric. I'd have to figure out a way to stop that, and soon if I wanted this to go any farther than her kicking me in the balls and running as far away as she could.

I couldn't explain my attraction to her. She was attractive, no doubt, but she wasn't the first attractive woman I'd been with. No, it was much more than that. I liked her, or I should say that I genuinely liked everything I knew about her, what little that it was. From what she had let on herself, from what Amelia and Tray had let on about her past, she should be nothing more than a broken shell. Yet, she was confident and strong. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she'd found a way to get through it and move on.

I looked across the confines of my pickup at her small frame, wedged up against the passenger door. She was as far away as she could get from me; the streetlights overhead on the quiet road towards Bon Temps illuminating her face for brief moments.

"It's okay Sookie," I said as I studied her profile. "You don't have to sit quite so far away. I don't imagine that's too comfortable, unless you've got a thing for doors." When I didn't get a response, I continued. "I'm not going to bite. I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

She turned her head for the first time that night and surveyed me quietly before letting out a resigned sigh.

"I know."

She shifted slightly in her seat, her posture relaxing as she peeled herself away from her love affair with the door.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she said after a moment, so quietly that I almost didn't hear her.

"What's that?"

She cleared her throat and turned her head to face me. "I said that I'm sorry about earlier."

"Sorry about what?"

"Sorry for my behavior earlier. I should have said thank you when you got me away from Victor Madden."

Well, what was I supposed to say to that? I could handle angry, wildcat Sookie; I could handle hot little Bunny, but I had no clue what to do with this.

"It's okay."

"No," she said. "It's not. You did me a favor, and I bit your head off. It's not easy for me to apologize, but I know I was wrong, and for that I am sorry. I was angry at Amelia, frustrated with Victor…" she trailed off. "And that's just the tip of the iceberg in the bad things happening in my life. I took it out on you – it's not like you were being a prized gentleman towards me, but even so, Gran would be rolling in her grave if she knew how I treated you tonight."

I was sure that her Gran would be rolling in her grave if she knew how Sookie had treated me two weeks ago too, but I wasn't going to bring that up.

"Okay," I said, for once at a loss for words. There was no doubt anymore that the last thing Sookie needed was for me to saunter in with my hands in my hips and play the cowboy routine, but damned if I knew what the right thing to do was.

"Okay?" she asked with a semi-hysteric laugh. "All you can say is _okay?"_

"What do you expect?" I asked, pulling onto Hummingbird Lane as she directed. "I don't mean that in a bad way Bunny, but I don't know what the right response would be."

"How about a _thank you?"_

I let out a perplexed laugh as I drove slowly down the dirt road. "Okay, if that's what you want. Thank you, Sookie Stackhouse."

When she sighed a frustrated sigh, I continued, "I don't mean to upset you. Hell, if I'm being honest, I don't know what to do with you. You're all over the place with me, and it's thrown me off balance. You're hot one minute, so hot I thought we'd scorch up the ground we stood upon; but then I wake up to find you gone, and when I do see you again, you've gone cold on me. Twenty minutes ago you were ready to hang my balls from your rearview mirror for looking at you sideways. I'm not saying I've been perfect here, far from it. But I've got to admit, I'm a little surprised by your apology."

"Yes, I'm sure you are," she sighed, pointing at the lone farmhouse at the end of the road.

She sat in silence when I pulled up in front of her house, looking straight ahead and not making a move to get out when I turned the ignition off.

"I don't know what to do with you either."

I reached down and unbuckled my seatbelt, turning to face her in the cab before cocking my eyebrow in encouragement for her to continue.

"You piss me off Eric Northman. You're everything I don't like in a man and then some, and you won't go away. And it seems that everything I do to discourage you, only encourages you."

Okay, I guess I should've expected that, but it still felt like a low blow.

"And yet…" she continued. "And yet, for some reason, despite the fact that you annoy me to no end, I can't lie anymore and say that a part of me doesn't like you anyway."

"Hmmm, and what part would that be Bunny?" I asked, my voice dripping with innuendo. I couldn't stop myself. I hated talking about shit like this; didn't know how to. I'd always come up with a way to deflect it.

"Ugh. I don't know what I was thinking," she said, reaching for the door handle of the truck. "Maybe I'm not as sober as I thought I was since I seemed to think you were capable of a mature conversation."

I reached out and grabbed her hand, trying to stop her and silently kicking myself for letting Christian come out to play again.

"I'm sorry Sookie," I said. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you shouldn't have," she countered, yet remained seated. "And that's exactly what I don't like about you. You're just like my stupid brother."

The last thing I wanted was for her to think of me like her brother. That should be a big enough kick in the pants to make me behave.

"But at least you're smart enough to know when you're acting like a dick, even if you can't stop yourself. Anyway, forget what I said. Chalk it up to drunken ramblings. Thanks for the ride home." She pushed the door open and was out before I could stop her. I jumped out of the truck and ran around to catch her.

"Sookie, stop," I called out as I ran towards her. She stopped at the sound of my voice and slowly turned around to face me, tilting her head up to watch me as I ran towards her. I stopped when I was within inches of her body and buried my hands in my pockets. "Look, I don't want it to end like this. Can I have one more chance?"

She tipped her head back and let out a laugh. "How many chances are you used to getting Eric Northman?"

"I don't know. Not very many," I said honestly. "But I want one more with you."

"Why should I believe that it'll be any different this time? Why should I believe that if I let you in again that you won't come up with some way to twist my words around and make it all about sex again?"

"Sookie," I said with a shrug. "It's _always_ going to be about sex with us." She started to turn away and I reached out to grab her arm. "No, hear me out and then make your decision." She looked me in the eye, assessing my words before shrugging.

"Why in the hell not? We've come this far, what's another five minutes?"

I dropped my hand from her arm reluctantly. "It's always going to be about sex between us because we're attracted to each other. You can't deny it. You picked me for your little one-night romp because you thought I was attractive, and I went with you because I think you're the sexiest woman I've had the pleasure to meet, much less had the pleasure of being with. And that's exactly why I don't know how to handle your disinterest. We had sex. We had amazing, mind-blowing sex. I can't forget that, and I don't think you can either. I get that it wasn't a normal pattern of behavior for you, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a normal behavior for me. But there is something different about you. I don't normally care if I ever see a buckle bunny again. Hell, it's better if I don't usually."

"You're making yourself out to be a real winner here Eric," she interrupted.

"I know…I know. Just hear me out. I haven't felt this way about a woman in a long time. You're not a buckle bunny. I know that. I can't stop thinking about you, can't stop thinking about that night, and honestly can't wait for it to happen again. I haven't been with a woman since we were together. I have tried to forget about you, tried to move on, but I can't. I want a chance to be something more than a one-nighter with you."

"So, you thought you could do that by harassing me in your bar?"

"No…yes. Hell, I don't know. I've never had to work to get a girl."

"Lucky you," she said disdainfully.

"I'm not trying to impress you by saying that; I'm trying to tell you how it is. I haven't had to work at anything with a woman in a long time, and I forgot how hard it is when you actually care what the other person thinks of you. Most women I've been around like that side me of, hell you even seemed to like it in Tyler."

She shrugged and closed her eyes. "I did. But it's different to like that in someone you're never planning on seeing again. Look, I'm a nice, normal, plain vanilla type of girl. I don't do anything out of the ordinary. I work as a librarian in an elementary school. I am not the sexy girl that goes and chases down cowboys, or any other type of boys for that matter, as you well know from what Amelia told you."

"You're sexy, Sookie. You can't ever do anything that's going to make me think otherwise. But despite what you think, or what I've made you believe about me," I said, "I care about more than sex."

"Is that so?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes, that's so." I was trying not to be defensive. I knew that if I said the wrong thing, this would be the last time I would get to talk to her. "I've got restraint, believe it or not."

"So, you're saying that if I stepped really close to you." She did. "And brushed up against you." She did again. Fuck, this was going to be harder than I thought. "And tried to kiss you right now, you'd keep your word and not kiss me back?"

I swallowed and nodded, praying that I'd be able to hold myself back if she did. Not that she would. She was going to push my buttons, but I didn't think she'd go that far.

"You're sure about that?" she asked. The feel of her body so close to mine, pressed against me willingly, even if only to prove a point was enough to stir my libido. Damn, Bunny was like my own personal kryptonite.

"Are you calling me a liar?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

"No," she said with a smirk. "Just want to make sure that you know how to behave yourself when I…" she trailed off, lifting her arms up until her hands rested on my shoulders.

_Breathe Northman, breathe goddammit._ I remained still, but let out a shuddered sigh, which seemed to amuse her. Her hands cupped the back of my head and pulled my face down to meet hers. Our eyes, our lips were inches apart when she spoke again.

"If you can do this, I'll give you another chance."

And before I could respond, her lips were on mine. It took every ounce of restraint I had in my body to stop myself from responding. Her mouth was like fire on mine, rubbing and nipping at my lips, teasing them to open and allow her in. I clenched my fists at my side and thought of every unattractive thing I could – of John Quinn riding a bull, of Madeline Albright, of Dora the fucking Explorer. And just when I thought I might lose it, she pulled back and rested her forehead against mine.

"Good showing, Northman," her breath sounded ragged, she was far more affected than she had planned to be. Her hands remained in place, buried in my hair. "You've shown you're a man of your word."

"I never doubted it." Like hell I didn't doubt it, two more seconds and I would have had her legs wrapped around my waist.

"Now," she whispered. "Kiss me."

I raised my eyebrows. "Is this a test?"

She laughed and shook her head. That was all I needed. My mouth was on hers in less than a second, tasting her skin, tasting the hint of cherry from her lip balm. It was everything I remembered and more. I groaned when she trailed her hands down and pulled me closer to her, her breasts pressing against my chest as we both desperately tried to eliminate the space that was between us.

"Inside," she mumbled against my lips and began to pull away from me. I shook my head and picked her up, wrapping her legs securely around my waist. I didn't want to lose contact, didn't want to give her the opportunity to change her mind.

She giggled and leaned down to kiss me again as I stumbled across the gravel driveway towards the steps to the farmhouse. I didn't know how I made it up the steps without tripping, my concentration was so focused on the fireball that was in my arms. Somehow she managed to get her keys out of her purse and into my hand without breaking contact.

With one flick of the wrist, I had her door open and we were inside. She directed me towards the couch in between kisses, pulling at the buttons in my shirt impatiently.

"Slow down there, Bunny," I said. "We've got all night. There's no reason to rush it."

I set her down on the sofa, taking a step back to look down at her. If it was possible, she was more beautiful than I'd ever seen her. This wasn't the made-up Bunny that I'd experienced the first night I met her, this was the real Sookie.

She reached out and grabbed my hands, pulling me down next to her.

"I've got to know," I said, much to the chagrin of the part of my body that was straining against my pants, "what made you change your mind about me?"

"You're serious?" she asked. "You really want to do this right now when we could…" she leaned towards me and placed a wet kiss against my neck.

"Yes," I said, setting her gently away from me. "I need to know."

She frowned and sat back against the back couch. "I don't know." When I didn't say anything, she continued. "It was something you said earlier. I had time to think about it on the drive, and then you kept your word and didn't kiss me back. It changed my mind about you. You're right. You are the only person in my life that I know exactly what to expect from, the only person that hadn't lied to me. Amelia, Bill, hell even my brother… as ridiculous as it sounds, that makes me trust you."

"You're sure about this Bunny?" I asked. "I don't want you going and changing your mind again."

"I'm sure," she said. "Never been more sure of anything in my life."

That was reassurance enough. I reached out and clasped her wrist, pulling her against me until she was on my lap, her legs on either side of me. When our lips met again, it was not with the frenzy of earlier. There was an acceptance, a knowledge of each other and where we were coming from. For once, we were standing on even ground, firm in the knowledge of who each other was, and that we both wanted the same thing. I ran my hands through her hair, trailing down her back and pulling her tightly against me.

She rubbed herself against me, grinding her hips against mine in a dizzying, slow rhythm. I had to have more. I kicked my shoes off, each one making a loud thump as they hit the floor. She giggled at the sound, and immediately our slow, sensuous pace quickened. I wanted more of her, and I wanted it now. I tugged at her cardigan, slipping it off her shoulders and relishing in the exposed skin of her arms, but even that wasn't enough. Within seconds, I had her shirt over her head, revealing a lacy black bra that somehow managed to make me harder than I already was.

"Fuck Bunny, you trying to kill me?" I groaned, leaning back to take in the view afforded to me.

She bit her lower lip and shook her head before reaching down and pulling at the buttons of my shirt. Once the last button was undone, she pulled the shirt roughly from my arms and threw it behind her. Her eyes scanned my chest greedily before she leaned forward and captured my lips again.

Our hands explored every inch of exposed skin, my fingers dipped below the waistband of her jeans and I groaned at the sensation of her silky skin below the denim. I flicked the button of her jeans open with my thumb and grasped her zipper in my fingers when I heard a knock at the door.

"Sookie," a male voice called, pulling me out of my haze. "I know you're in there. Open this door right now." The man sounded angry, and drunk. Fuck. Did Sookie have a boyfriend I didn't know about? I couldn't imagine that she was the type of girl that would let me kiss her like this if she had a boyfriend. But who in the hell would it be?

"Shit," she said, the frustration seeping out of her voice as she swung her legs off my lap and fumbled for her cardigan. I watched as she pushed her arms through the holes, feeling a sense of loss when her breasts were fully covered. "I'm real sorry about this," she said, her accent thicker than before. "Give me a minute."

She padded off towards the front door, pulling it open with more force than necessary. I couldn't see the person on the other side from where I was sitting.

"What in the hell do you want Jason?" she asked. Jason? Aw hell, what was her brother doing here?

"You never answer your damn phone Sookie," Jason said.

"I told you I didn't want to talk to you."

"It's been two weeks Sookie," Jason whined. "You can't be mad at me for two whole weeks."

"Jason," she said impatiently, "it's one o'clock in the morning. I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Well I do."

"Jason, you're drunk."

"So what?" he asked, pushing his way past her and giving me my first view of him. He'd yet to see me, and I hoped for Sookie's sake that he didn't. I'd only been around Jason a handful of times, but from what I knew of him, he wouldn't take too kindly to finding a man in Sookie's house, no matter how hypocritical that was.

"So," Sookie said, forgetting her state of relative undress as she placed her hands on her hips. I watched as her sweater fell open, revealing a hint of the bra underneath. "I don't particularly feel like dealing with your drunk ass."

Jason's eyes rounded as he took in his sister's attire. His eyes darted across the room until they landed firmly on me. Well shit. I stood up and made my way over to Sookie's side, offering her whatever support I could for the scene that was no doubt about to happen.

"What in the fuck is this?" Jason screeched.

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asked.

"How in the hell do you know Eric Northman? And what in the hell is he doing in your house half naked?"

"I don't think that's any of your business Jason," she said, the edge of calm leaving her voice.

"Like hell it isn't. You're my sister. It's my job to protect you from men like him." He shot me a disapproving look.

"Jason," I started, and was stopped by Sookie.

"No," she said, "don't you dare say a word. I can take care of him myself." She turned back to face Jason. "Don't you go and judge me Jason Stackhouse," she started. "You need to walk your ass out the door and go sleep it off in your truck."

Jason stared at her and shook his head. "I will not have you whoring around Sookie. What would Gran do if she knew you brought a man home?"

"No more than she'd do if she knew you broke into my house and fucked your flavor of the month when I was out of town."

I flinched at her words, at the tone of her voice. This wasn't something I should be witnessing. This was a private family matter that you wouldn't want a friend, much less a relative stranger to see.

"I said I was sorry Sookie."

"Sorry doesn't fucking cut it Jason. Get the hell out of my house."

"No," he said definitely. "This was my house too and I'm not leaving until he gets out too." He jerked his head in my direction.

"Eric is my guest, and it's my house," Sookie said definitely. "I asked him to stay, and he's not going anywhere. Now get the fuck out."

Jason looked between Sookie and me before shaking his head. "No," he said simply. "I will not stand by and let you whore yourself."

Sookie turned to look at me, the frustration boiling over in her eyes.

"The lady asked you to leave," I interjected, not caring that she'd told me to stay out. I wasn't going to stand and witness Jason abuse his sister.

"If she was a lady, I don't think she'd be running around with the likes of you Northman," he growled.

"Get out," I demanded, looming every inch of my advantageous height over him.

"Jason," Sookie said. "You know I don't like violence, but I'd totally condone Eric kicking your sorry ass if you don't listen to him."

We stared at each other for what seemed like five minutes, neither of us backing down until Jason broke the gaze and turned around.

"Fine," he said. "Fine. But this isn't over Sookie." And with that, he slammed the door behind him.

I stood in place, not daring to move until Sookie told me to. I watched as she walked over to the door and flicked the lock.

"Fucking Jason," she said, stopping in front of me. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's okay."

"No, it's really not. See? See what I mean? That's my life right there." Her voice cracked as she inclined her head towards the door. "Everyone wants, wants, wants from me and I get nothing back. At least with you, I know exactly what you want from me and what I'll get in return." She threw her arms up in the air. "I don't know what to do. God, now I don't even have school to help me take my mind off of it. So much for summer break being a good thing."

Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears she was trying to hold back. I reached out and pulled her towards me, wrapping my arms around her in comfort as I rested my chin against the top of her head. Her body wracked with silent sobs against mine, her tears wet against my chest. We stood like that, me trying to provide whatever shred of comfort I could as she let it all out.

After awhile, she pulled back and looked up at me. "I'm sorry," she said with a smile. "I'm sure the last thing you wanted to deal with was a weeping woman you barely know."

"Shhh," I whispered. "Don't worry about it. I think I'd cry too if I had all of that happen to me in one night." She looked at me skeptically. "Okay, you're right. I wouldn't cry, but I'd sure as hell have to do something to let it all out."

"Thanks," she said with a sigh and rested her head against my chest again. "If only you could whisk me away every time something like this happens." She let out a small laugh and I felt my chest tighten.

Before I knew what I was saying, I blurted out, "Why can't I?"

"What?" she asked.

"I said, why can't I?" The thought going through my head was crazy, and I knew it, but it somehow made sense. I hadn't wanted anything as much as I wanted what I was thinking. "Look, you have the entire summer off, right?"

She nodded, pulling away again to look up at me with confusion.

"You've got nothing tying you down here? Nothing you need to do?"

"Well, no…" she trailed off. "But, what's that –"

"Come with me," I said.

"Come with you where?"

"On the road. I'll be gone all of July off rodeoing. Come with me."

"Eric, I can't… we can't…"

"Why not?" Oh hell, I knew why not, but that didn't matter.

"I hardly know you."

"That doesn't matter. You said you trusted me. You know that I keep my word. Come with me," I repeated.

She looked at me skeptically and pulled away. She began pacing in front of me.

"You're being rash."

"So?"

"You probably won't even like me in two weeks."

"I highly doubt that, Bunny."

"You'll get sick of me."

"Stop it," I commanded. "Stop thinking of reasons not to. Look, you need to get away. I like you, you like me. We can run off and get to know each other better. It's not like you can't turn around and come home if you hate it."

She stopped and turned to face me. I could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth.

"But-"

"No buts. Just yes or no. Don't think about it. Do you want to get away from all of this? Do you want to come with me?"

She let out a ragged breath. "Yes," she whispered.

I let out a holler and pulled her to me, swinging her around in a circle as her laughter filled the air.

"You won't regret it Bunny," I murmured into her hair. "You won't regret it."

**AN:** Well folks… will she regret it? Did she give in too easily? How soon before Prick Eric comes out and play again? Do you _want _Prick Eric to come back? *giggles* Let me know!


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** What what? 2 chapters in a matter of days? I know. I know. Enjoy it while you can!

**Chapter 8**

**SPOV**

When I peeled my eyes open, the sun was streaming in through the thin muslin curtains that draped across the small window in my bedroom. I sought out the red numbers of my alarm clock across the room and groaned when I saw that it flashed 8 am. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed myself to go back to sleep, but it was too late. My body didn't care that it was the first day of summer vacation, or that I'd been out late last night. No, I was already in bed two hours after my alarm would have gone off and there was no way I could go back to sleep.

I rolled over onto my side and couldn't help but smile when my knee came into contact with the warm flesh of the man that was lying next to me. If you had told me a week ago – hell even last night – that Eric Northman would be sleeping in my bed, I wouldn't have believed it. But yet, there he was, sleeping like a baby in my pink and white sheets, his arm thrown over his eyes to block out the sun.

Last night had been such a whirlwind of events. Between finding out about Amelia's betrayal, Victor's come-on and the run-in with Jason, it was enough material for an after-school special. And unfortunately for the man resting next to me, he'd had to witness the ups and downs of the role that would undoubtedly be played by Shannen Doherty, or maybe Tori Spelling if it was done on a low budget.

I giggled silently at the thought and peeled myself quietly out of bed, tiptoeing to the hallway and shutting the door behind me. I had a lot to think about, a lot to come to terms with now in the light of day. I had agreed to go on a road trip with a man I barely knew, with a man that I had been pretty sure I hated less than 24 hours ago, and for once I wasn't going to let my second-guessing get off the ground. My one-night stand had been an empowering move of sorts – okay so it hadn't actually been a one-night stand obviously, but it had still shown me that I could step outside the lines of the box I'd painted _Goody-Two-Shoes Sookie_ into.

Don't get me wrong, the thought of going on the road with a man I barely knew made me nervous, but this was one of those instances where the Devil I knew was much worse. The thought of being stuck in Bon Temps for endless weeks of nothingness was enough to make me agree to almost anything. I could just imagine sitting in my house waiting for the next nightmare to strike – for Bill to come knocking on my door, for Jason to come by and say something else bigoted and derogatory, or God forbid for Victor to swing by. Getting some distance from my life was exactly what I needed. I was 26 years old and I'd never been outside Louisiana or Texas, had never gone on an adventure. Every spring break, every summer vacation in college, I'd stayed with Gran in Bon Temps, and since she passed, I'd spent the time straightening everything out. I could enter into this relationship with the full knowledge that it was nothing more than a summer fling; something I'd never had the pleasure of experiencing.

I needed to do this, both for my sanity and to prove a point to myself and to the world. I could be rash and impulsive, even if it was only for a few weeks. I'd come back, I'd return to Bon Temps and to my job and back to boring Sookie Stackhouse who did what was expected of her. But first I needed to live this alternate life, to have something to hold onto. It didn't hurt that it came packaged up in Eric Northman.

If I thought about it too much, I had a hard time reconciling the Eric Northman of last night with the Eric Northman I'd profiled in my mind. The sex-on-a-stick cowboy from Tyler, Texas was luring under the surface, no doubt, but his declarations of interest and his calm composure and support after Hurricane Jason came visiting were almost unbelievable.

I blushed as I recalled how I'd thrown myself at him so wantonly when he didn't respond to my kiss, but damn if his resistance wasn't enough to make me realize how foolish I'd been. I had expected him to fail the minute my lips brushed against his, and truth be told I'd been irritated when he didn't. When he stood there as a still as a statue, his hands immobilized by his side as I put every ounce of my minimal experience into that kiss, I knew I wanted nothing more than for him to respond.

The time I'd had on the drive to Bon Temps made me realize that I'd been foolish, impetuous when I made the decision to never see him again. He'd done nothing wrong really, other than reappear when I thought I'd never see him. That was hardly his fault. And since then he'd done nothing unexpected of him. How could I deny someone who was honest with me, and accept someone like Jason who had done nothing but lie to me for as long as I'd known him?

Yes, Eric had been a prick and he'd teased and taunted me mercilessly, but that was his game. Hell, he was right, that exact game had worked on me the first time. He had no idea at the time of my relative inexperience. I believed him on that. No one would have been able to lie that convincingly when he'd adamantly denied the knowledge. I imagined Amelia in the same situation I'd been in, how she would have responded to Eric's advances after the fact; she would have enjoyed his banter, and met it with her own. Why would he think that I would be any different? I was the one that had outright propositioned him back. And, if I was honest with myself, there was a part of me that liked it. My inner-Gloria Steinem was screaming at me when I admitted that Prick Eric was kind of sexy, given the right time and situation.

I had no delusions when I'd agreed to spend the summer with him. Yes, it may have been a direct result of all the shitty things that had happened to me kicking me over the edge, but I had known that then just as I knew it now. We would both benefit from the situation – me, because I would be getting out on an adventure, and him because he'd be getting, well… me. I'm not suggesting that I'm a prize to be won, far from it actually, but I was apparently what he was seeking. This wouldn't be more than a summer fling. I knew men like him, and men like him didn't go in for long-term relationships. That was fine. The last thing I needed right now was a permanent fixture, no matter how good the sex had been and would be.

After making a stop in the bathroom to take care of my more human needs, I padded into the kitchen and began to busy myself by making breakfast. If I kept busy, I wouldn't get to thinking too much, or so I thought. I stood over the stove as the bacon and eggs cooked, my thoughts drifting off to the man who was sleeping in my bed. I thought about how protective Eric had been last night after Jason's departure. You would have thought that a man like Eric – if he was the sex-driven Eric I had thought he was – would have wanted nothing more than to rush back into our pre-interruption activities. It would have been easy use sex as a device to forget the drama we'd witnessed, but he didn't. He'd held me through my outburst, came up with a way to get me out of the rut I was in, and then had ushered me into my bed where he'd done nothing more than kiss my forehead and hold me as I fell asleep. Hell, he'd even gone into the living room when I changed into my pajamas; a far cry from the frenzy to get me undressed on the couch. But it was exactly what I needed.

When breakfast was ready, I turned to the sink and watched as a light rain began to fall outside, the smell of breakfast wafting through the kitchen. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't realize Eric had found his way to the kitchen until his arms wrapped around my waist and he buried his chin in the crook of my neck.

"Morning," he murmured against my cheek.

"Good morning," I responded, smiling at his reflection in the window before me.

"When I woke up alone, I was wondering if you'd run off on me again Bunny."

"No," I laughed and leaned back into his frame. "Just far enough to make us something to eat."

"Mmmm, yes I will say that the smell is what woke me up. But seeing you here like this makes me want something else entirely for breakfast."

"Is that so?" I asked. "Bacon and eggs aren't cutting it for you this morning?"

He shook his head, the hint of stubble on his chin scratching my neck in the most delicious way. "Not even close." He shifted his head and nipped at my earlobe, my legs giving out under me as his tongue trailed along my neck.

I groaned and tilted my head, offering him a broader expanse of my neck to attack, which he did with vigor. "I thought maybe I had been dreaming about you last night, like I have every other night. Even when I woke up in a yellow bedroom, wrapped in pink sheets I didn't let myself believe it until I saw you in person."

I shook my head and laughed. "No, I'm real and in the flesh."

"Mmm, yes I'm very aware of your flesh right now. Every single inch of it," he murmured, running his thumbs across the hem of my tank top where it met the waistband of the shorts I'd pulled on hastily last night. "I'd almost forgotten how good you feel against me, thought maybe I'd imagined it."

"It hasn't been that long Eric," I countered.

"Two weeks is far too long where you're concerned Bunny," he said. "Tell me something?"

I turned my head until our eyes met. "What?"

"Are you coming with me? Or did I dream that up?"

I thought about teasing him, about pretending I didn't know what he was talking about, but I couldn't. Instead, I bit my bottom lip and shook my head uncertainly.

He didn't say anything and the silence was deafening. Was he going to back out? I shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, and was about to turn my head away when the smile spread across his face, starting in his eyes. It barely reached his mouth before he leaned forward and captured my own.

He inched closer, until his length was pressed entirely against my back, his mouth never leaving mine. He nipped at my lips, clasping my cheek in his hand to turn my head for better access.

"I've waited a long time for this Bunny. I can't wait any longer," he murmured against my lips.

I whimpered as his hand traveled down my cheek, brushing against my breasts as it continued its southward trail. Before I could respond, he clasped my hips, pulling me fully against his body and holding me there tightly with one arm while his hand pushed my shirt up an inch, just enough to allow the rough skin of his hands to tickle my sensitive stomach.

"Eric, what about breakfast…" I trailed off, not really caring what happened to breakfast when his fingers tickled my skin.

"Fuck breakfast Bunny," he growled, clasping my hands and placing them on the edge of the counter underneath his own, holding them in place as his mouth devoured my neck. "You're far more delectable."

He let go of my hands after indicating that I should keep them in place. His fingers ghosted over my arms, providing just enough contact to send a shiver up my spine.

"Eric," I let out between ragged breaths.

"Shhh," he replied. His hands skirted along my collar bone, tickling the dip in my neck before flying down to the hem of my shirt and pulling it up roughly. I gasped when the cold air hit my breasts, and complied when he urged my arms up to pull the tank top over my head. He guided my hands back down until they rested on the counter in front of me. "Stay," he whispered in my ear. There was nothing else I could do, nothing else I would dream of doing.

His hand cupped my breasts and for once I was thankful that I lived so far away from my nearest neighbor, though maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Bill Compton saw another man playing with my breasts through my kitchen window. I mentally slapped myself for thinking about Bill while I had Eric behind me, but that was the last thought that entered my head. For the next who knows how long, all I could do was feel. Feel the roughness of his hands as they explored every inch of my skin, feel the juxtaposition between his hands and his lips as he shadowed his touch with his mouth.

His fingers flittered along the waistband of my shorts before finding their way inside, reaching their sought after destination and eliciting a moan from deep inside me in response. My grip tightened on the counter, my knuckles turning white as he worked his magic and I attempted to stay upright. My hips moved against his hand with a rhythm of their own, the noises coming from me almost unrecognizable to my ears until they peaked with a scream and I fell back into him.

"Now that," he whispered, "I could get used to waking up to every morning."

I nodded my consent. Yes, that would be one of the perks of this relationship – endless orgasms. So many that I could live the rest of the year off of them, long after my cowboy adventure was over and I returned to being boring Sookie Stackhouse, sexless school librarian.

When I finally managed to recuperate enough strength, I spun around and faced him for the first time, reaching up to pull his mouth to mine. My breasts brushed against his bare chest, eliciting a soft groan of appreciation from the man in front of me. He let me control the pace, whimpering when my hands danced across his back and pulled him to me.

His erection was prominent against my stomach, straining against the cotton of his boxer briefs in a desperate attempt to be released. I eased my hands under the elastic of his briefs, clasping onto the body part I remembered so well.

"Bunny," he growled into my mouth.

"What?" I asked, as innocently as I could.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

"What? This?" I asked with a giggle as I squeezed the flesh I was holding.

That was the end of my control, for then and for the next hour. I was a rag doll in Eric's hands. We stumbled through the kitchen, stopping to rest against every surface as the last articles of clothing were discarded and left behind on our journey. We wound up back where we started, in the pink and white sheets of my childhood, though they'd never received the treatment we gave them.

Once every last ounce of energy was spent, we lay there sated, our limbs entwined in an endless puzzle of joints and skin.

I'd never experienced anything like that, never known that feelings like that were possible. It had been a string of endless sensations. Every muscle, every bone in my body felt used and abused.

"Well fuck Bunny, I thought it was good in Texas. But if I'd known it would be like that, I would've thrown you over my shoulder and stolen you off to Mexico two weeks ago, no matter what you were protesting."

***

We spent the rest of the day in bed, ignoring our phones as they buzzed and dinged in attempts to pull us away from each other. Only when the sun was again sinking in the sky did we peel ourselves away from each other.

"I've got to work the bar tonight," he said. "Pam'll kill me if I don't show up."

Oh. Pam. Right. The real world.

"Do we have to go back?" I asked wistfully. "Can't we just stay here like this? Ignore our responsibilities?"

His laughter rumbled in his chest, vibrating against my ear that lay against it. "I reckon we're going to be doing that when we leave on Friday."

Why did we have to wait until Friday? I'd have to occupy myself for an entire week, stay busy enough to keep my problems at bay.

"Are you sure we can't leave earlier?"

"What's this? Eager to be with me all the time are you Bunny?"

Well, not when he put it like that. I frowned and sat up in the bed, resting my elbows on my knees as the sheet fell down around my waist. "You say it like it's a bad thing."

I felt the bed shift beneath me as he sat up and pressed his lips against the middle of my back. "It's never a bad thing." His mouth traveled the length of my spine, stopping only to rest his head on my shoulder. "Not with you."

I sighed and rested my head against his. "I just can't imagine getting through this week," I said to the wall in front of me. "I don't want to see Amelia, don't want to see Jason. I just want to get out of here."

He nodded. "Well, there's not much we can do to leave earlier. But I don't think I can go another week without having you again. Come stay with me. Come stay with me in Shreveport until we leave for Dallas. No one would have to know where you went, no one would be able to track you down."

I brightened at the idea, but common-sense soon won out. "I… I…I'm not packed. I can't just leave."

He laughed and pulled me towards him. "You aren't going to need many clothes if it's left up to me."

I felt my blush start to rise and hoped he didn't notice. He did. Of course. "I like your tan, but you look good in that color too Bunny." When I didn't respond, he continued. "Why don't you pack something for tonight? We can come back tomorrow morning and pack for the rest of the trip; I don't have to work tomorrow so we can be here as long as we need to be. But tonight, I want you by me. I'm not ready to let you go quite yet."

And with that I, Sookie Stackhouse, school librarian and life-long drip turned into a puddle of mush. I don't know how I transformed that quickly, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that this man standing in front of me wanted me.

"I'll have to get a hold of Tara and have her watch the house," I started.

Eric reached into his pocket and proffered his phone. "Easy enough."

I smiled and took it from him, despite having two phones of my own. "And I've got a few things I'll need to take care of."

He smiled and stepped closer. "We can do that tomorrow Bunny."

"And…" I trailed off. And what? Why was I stalling?

"And you need to make sure that Jason doesn't have a way to leave his special brand of housewarming gift," Eric said with a smile. When I didn't say anything, he continued. "Cause that particular brand of housewarming is for you and me to take care of."

If possible, I melted more. Yes. Yes, I could do this. I could run away for a month or two with this man, and leave everything behind.

"Okay," I said meekly.

"What's that?" he asked, with a cocky grin on his face.

"I said okay." My voice sounded stronger.

"Okay you're ready to go, or okay you want to give this house a warming?" He propped himself up and began to place open-mouthed kisses on my neck.

"I'd say we've warmed it up plenty today, wouldn't you?" I responded, placing my palm against his chest and keeping him at a distance.

"Never Bunny," he growled. "I don't think we can ever do too much of this."

And with that, he went about showing me exactly how right he was.

**AN: ***blushes* So there it is. They're back on track. Let's get these kids on the road!

Eternal thanks to Sunkisz for being my lightening-fast beta! Giant smoochies to you!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**SPOV**

"You're what?!" Amelia's voice screeched from the other end of the phone. "You drop off the radar for a week and call me to tell me that you're in Dallas? With Eric Northman?" She gasped in disbelief. "Sookie, you don't even know him!"

"You didn't either when you told him my sordid history," I said, rolling my eyes at Eric who was staring at me intently from across the small table at the diner.

"That's a bit different than running away with him." She had a point.

"I just thought you should know."

Amelia sat in silence on the other end of the phone. "Sookie, you don't have to go to extremes like this. I said I was sorry, and I am."

"It's not about you Amelia." It wasn't. It was about me or at least a different side of me that I was trying to explore. "I like Eric." He smiled at me. "We get along well. I've never done anything like this."

"That's exactly my point," Amelia's voice exclaimed through the ear piece. "This _isn't _you. I'm worried. I don't think this is a good idea."

"I'm not asking for your approval Amelia." Eric's eyebrows furrowed as he leaned against the vinyl booth. "I've got to go," I said quickly.

"Sookie-"

"I've got to go Amelia." I hung up before she could say anything else and tucked my phone into the small brown purse I was carrying. It rang as soon as it was securely in its place. It was Amelia, of course. I turned my ringer off and turned to face Eric.

"Well, that's taken care of."

"Good," he said. He flashed me one of his swoon-worthy smiles and squeezed my hand, turning his attention to the menu in front of him. "I'm thinking I'll get some pancakes," he said, finally.

"Don't you want to know what she said?" I asked. I'd want to know what his friends thought of the situation, particularly his roping partner Alcide. I hadn't met Alcide yet, and frankly I was afraid to. I'm sure he'd think I was just another Buckle Bunny chasing Eric's cockmedal, and I was in a way, but it was so much more than that.

He looked up from his menu and frowned at me. "I'm guessing she didn't approve from your responses to her."

"Not hardly," I said with a pout and sat back against the yellow and blue vinyl booth. "She claimed responsibility for it. Can you believe it?"

"I can actually," he said pragmatically, chuckling when I looked surprised. "Sookie, you're doing something out of character, and you're doing it with someone like me. She's going to feel responsible since you wouldn't even know me without her. And you were pissed off at her when you left with me. She's going to jump to conclusions."

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He had a point. It still infuriated me that she would take credit for my summer adventure.

"Bunny," he continued, his voice lowering so no one else could hear the endearment. We'd had that conversation already. He was by no means to call me Bunny when other people could hear. "We both know that you aren't the type of girl that's going to screw someone…even me," he smirked, "unless you made the choice. I know Amelia doesn't have anything to do with it, and so do you. Isn't that enough?"

It should've been, it really should have. But it wasn't. It somehow lessened what I was doing if Amelia thought she was responsible. No longer was it my, _I Am Woman Hear Me Roar _moment; it was a, _I Am a Thirteen Year Old Mad at My Best Friend and Lashing Out At Anyone Who Will Listen _moment_._

"I don't want her to think that," I said finally.

He chuckled and picked his menu up. "You're going to learn someday Sookie Stackhouse, that you don't have any control over what someone else thinks about you."

I quirked my eyebrow. "I didn't think I did."

"That's good. Cause if you did, we wouldn't be here like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I reckon you wanted me to think of you as nothing more than a one-night stand, right?" I nodded. "And if you'd had the ability to control what I was thinking, I never would've come after you again, and I certainly would never have gotten you naked again, which would be a real shame as far as I'm concerned."

I blushed, grateful that he wasn't looking at me. He could be so blunt, so deliciously blunt sometimes. It was one of the things I had come to like about him.

***

One hour and four fluffy pancakes later, and we were back in Eric's big black truck. We'd left Shreveport after Eric closed down the bar one last time before he was scheduled to be on the road. The entire week spent in Shreveport seemed a bit surreal, from the minute we'd arrived at his house to the minute we got in the truck to leave for Dallas. It was like I was playing a role. A role I wanted to play, but a role nonetheless.

Even now, sitting next to Eric as we headed out to the Herveaux ranch, I felt like I was a million miles away from myself. There was a part of the old Sookie Stackhouse rolling around somewhere on the inside, wandering around like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, if my new, more sexual side was in fact Wonderland. I giggled when I thought about what Eric would say if I shared that analogy.

"What?" he asked, giving me a sidelong glance from the driver's seat.

"Nothing," I replied, which only made me giggle harder.

"What?" he asked again, this time with an impatient edge to his voice.

"I was just thinking about something. You know that John Mayer song?"

He rolled his eyes. "Do I look like someone who listens to John Mayer?"

I shrugged. You never knew. "Never mind then."

"Bunny," he practically growled. "Do you want me to pull the truck over?"

"No!" I squealed, imagining what he would do to me if he did pull the truck over. Though maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. "I was just thinking that I'm a bit like Alice."

"Alcide?" he asked, confusion flashing over his eyes.

"No, you big dummy. Alice. Of In Wonderland fame?" He gave me a confused look, but didn't say anything. "Sometimes I feel like I've fallen down the rabbit hole and don't know what to do with it."

He chuckled and continued to look straight ahead. "If you're Alice, who'd that make me?"

I thought for a minute. "Tweedledee?" I responded with a giggle.

"Bunny," he snarled.

"Erm… the Caterpillar?"

He thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, that could work. He's big and long, and satisfying."

"Eric!" I shrieked.

"What?" he asked with mock innocence. "You're the one who made me the Caterpillar."

"You're not the Caterpillar!"

He looked at me with a goofy grin on his face. "Then who am I, Bunny?"

"Well you'd have to be someone that helps, no, even insists on getting Alice into trouble… someone whose solitary mission is to GET Alice into trouble." I stared out the window for a minute as I ran through the characters of a movie I hadn't seen in twenty years. "I guess you'd be…"

"Yes?" he asked, his voice low and sultry. "Who would I be? I don't remember Alice having sex with anyone – "

"Eric!" I shrieked again, and turned to face him, his smile wider than I'd ever seen. "The cat!" His smile faded.

"The cat?"

"Yes, the cat! The Cheshire Cat! You're sooo the Cheshire Cat!" I was more excited by my connection than I should have been. "You with all your fancy talk, getting me to do thing I never would have dreamed of doing."

He smiled again. "Yes, I do seem to be quite good at that." He reached out and placed his hand on my jean-clad thigh, though it could have been bare for all the heat I felt from it. "I have been able to get you to do a lot even I didn't think you'd do." His hand crept up my thigh, and would have gone only God knows how high if I hadn't stopped it with my own.

"Yes, well," I said, my stern school voice coming back into play as I pushed his hand away.

"Well what?" he asked with a chuckle, as he turned into a dirt drive, marked on either side by a large rock gate. We passed under an archway, with the Herveaux brand swinging from the middle.

"We're here?" I asked, noting the edge of panic in my own voice.

"Yeah," he said. "What were you going to say?"

I couldn't even think of my name, much less what I had been planning to say two minutes ago. I felt the panic rising in my throat, my skin burning as I thought of facing this Alcide Herveaux and his girlfriend. Thank God his family was out of town. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if I had to face a whole family. What would they think of me? What did _I _think of me? The cab of the truck started to shrink in around me.

"Sookie?" Eric asked. I felt the truck swerve as he pulled to the side of the road. "Sookie?" he repeated.

"I just need…" I shut my eyes and tried to calm down my breathing. There was no reason to be anxious. It wasn't as if this Alcide fellow hadn't seen a buckle bunny before. Was I even a buckle bunny? Maybe? I didn't know.

"What?" Eric asked, his voice heavy with concern. He unbuckled his seat belt and scooted across the seat towards me. "Sook?" He reached up and brushed my hair out of my eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I said, as much to myself as to him. "I'm just nervous."

He laughed as his hand came to rest on my shoulder. "Why in the hell are you nervous Bunny?"

"I've told you not to call me Bunny!" I snapped.

"Sorry. Sorry. Why are you nervous Sookie?"

I broke his gaze and looked out the window, my voice small in the truck as I responded. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"We've gone over this. He's going to like you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because _I _like you."

"You like lots of girls."

He shrugged. "I've liked a lot of girls, it's true. But I haven't ever taken one on a month-long trip with me." I rolled my eyes. "Sookie," he said impatiently.

"Fine," I responded. "Fine. I get it. It's just weird. It's not like I have any friends to talk to about this."

"You'll make friends on the road Sookie. Everyone does."

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be making friends with the local bull riders," I said with disdain. When I saw the look on his face, I softened. "I'm sorry. I'm freaking out. I can't make myself believe that it's all going to be roses and butterflies."

He scooted back into his seat and moved the truck out of park. "I'm not asking you to. Just be yourself."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It is," he said with a shrug. "If I like you for you, then Alcide will too. He's much easier to get along with."

And he was.

I was from the South. I knew about Southern Hospitality. But I'd never seen it taken to quite the level that the Herveaux's took it to. We were barely in park when a big, strapping man with unruly black curly hair came bounding out of the large house.

"Let me see her!" he said, pulling the passenger's side door open with a forceful bang. I laughed uneasily and looked over at Eric, who was shaking his head. He shrugged. Great.

"Hello," I said, forcing my manners to come to the surface. Alcide was the Mad Hatter. That's all there was to it.

"You must be Sookie," he said. I nodded, squirming as he reached across me and unbuckled my seatbelt. There was nothing threatening about him, I didn't think he was even seeing me as a man sees a woman, and despite how attractive he was, he wasn't giving off that kind of vibe. Instead of looking at me as an object of lust, he was looking at me as an object of wonder.

"I didn't think Northman had it in him," he drawled, grabbing me by the waist and lifting me out of the truck. I was at a loss for words.

"Um…"

"Get your hands off her Alcide," Eric said with a laugh. "I didn't bring her here as a present for you."

Alcide looked chagrined for all of a minute before he swung me around in the air, my laughter sounding foreign even to me. "She sure is pretty though," he said, finally setting me down on my feet. "The question is, what's she doing with a prick like you Northman?"

By that time, Eric was standing next to me and gently pulled me out of Alcide's grasp. "I ask that to myself all the time Alc. All the time." He pulled me to him, picking me up off my feet as he looked down into my eyes. "Well, it seems a bit late now, but Alcide, this is Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie, Alcide Herveaux."

"Jesus Christ, I'm not a rag doll," I said and pushed at Eric until he let me go. I took a step away from the two of them. "Nice to meet you Alcide," I said with a polite nod.

"Fiesty," Alcide said, leaning back against the truck.

"Told you," Eric replied, taking the same stance as they looked at me.

"Told him what exactly?" I scowled.

"Told him that you don't put up with his shit," a feminine voice said from behind me. I whirled around to see a pretty, petite, brunette woman advancing on us. She was cowgirl through and through, you could just tell from the way she held herself. She looked like she'd be one with the horse she rode on, unlike me, who would probably end up kicked in the stomach and in the ER.

The mystery woman came to a halt in front of me and gave me the once over. "Can't say it isn't exactly what lover-boy over there needs," she said with a nod in Eric's direction. "It's about time a woman stood up to him." She looked over my shoulder in Eric's eyes. "Just cause you're darn near prettier than the women we run across, doesn't mean you can always be a dick Eric."

I heard Eric's deep chuckle behind me, and imagined he was giving this woman one of his trademark shrug-and-grins.

"Maria Starr-Cooper," the woman said, holding out her hand in my direction.

"Sookie Stackhouse," I replied, taking her hand. Her grip was a lot stronger than I expected for a woman of her size, though I shouldn't have been surprised since she seemed at home on the ranch.

"So I've heard," she said with a nod. "Alcide here's been all atwitter like a 14 year old girl waiting for you to get here. I thought I was going to have to shoot him with the tranquilizer gun if you didn't get here soon."

"Oh," I said, not really sure what else to say, but laughing at the mental image of this tiny woman taking down Alcide with a blow dart.

"Tell me," she said. "What is it that you like about Eric here?"

"Well," I said, biting my bottom lip. "I'm not really sure," I answered honestly. "He annoys me to no end. I've wanted to run him over with my car as many times as anything else. And he's an arrogant jerk..." I trailed off.

She looked at me with her assessing eyes and nodded. "So you know him pretty well then?"

I nodded. "As well as I can really." I figured she knew how long we'd known each other. There was no use to pretending otherwise.

"You don't seem stupid."

"Um… thanks, I guess." I said, looking nervously over my shoulder at Eric, who was taking it all in.

"Maria," Alcide called, pushing himself off his truck. "Leave the poor girl alone. You had your chance to interrogate her." He swung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close and looking at me apologetically. "Sorry Sookie, Maria here thinks she's Eric's protector."

I scoffed. "I don't think Eric's the one that needs protection."

"That's what I say," Alcide said with a grin. "But she won't listen, will you?"

"I've seen the types of girls that chase after him Alcide," she said. "And it ain't pretty when they all come crying to me cause he's broken their hearts. I'm sick of dealing with his leftovers. Like I give a fuck what he did."

"No hearts involved here," I said, then clapped my hand over my mouth. "I mean…" Shit, what did I mean? "It's just that, well, we agreed to do this and-"

"I think that's good enough Sook," Eric said, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "You don't have to share all the sordid details with them." He angled his head and brushed his lips against my ear. I felt a shiver go down my spine, despite my desire to remain unaffected in front of his friends.

"You could share the details with me if you want," Alcide offered, a smirk on his face.

"Alcide Herveaux!" Maria yelled, pushing herself away from him. "I don't know why I put up with you. I'm sorry Sookie," she said, turning to face me. "This one never learned his manners."

"Neither did this one," I said with a smile.

"Heaven help us," she said, reaching out and taking my arm from Eric's. "You two get the stuff out of the truck there. I think Sookie and I have some catching up to do. Maybe we can share some tips on how to deal with our asshole, good-for-nothing boyfriends."

I looked over my shoulder at the dejected figures of Alcide and Eric and couldn't help but smile.

Maybe I'd be making a friend after all.

* * *

**AN:** He's baaaaccckkk! Thanks to the ladies of twitter for helping me come up with the Alice references, and thanks to Sunkisz for her lightening fast beta speed. And thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story, despite the long hot, summer droughts!

Hope you enjoyed our favorite cowboy and his little lady.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Yeehaw! He's back in the saddle again. Thanks Sunkisz for being a superfly beta.

**Chapter 10 **

**EPOV**

"How in the hell did you score that?" Alcide asked the minute Sookie and Maria were out of earshot.

I shrugged and walked to the bed of the pickup where our duffel bags were secured. I had asked myself that question more often than I wanted to admit. I hardly believed it myself when Sookie agreed to go on a road trip with me, but I knew better than to question it. Something about her made me lose all sense of reason. If you'd told me a month ago that I'd take a woman on the road with me, I would have called you crazy.

The summer rodeo circuit was prime picking for a single cowboy, and sitting at the number one position in the country assured me any ass I could want in any honky tonk along the way. But apparently I only wanted one ass, and that belonged to one Miss Sookie Stackhouse of Bon Temps, Louisiana.

"What?" I asked, smirking in Alcide's direction. He didn't need to know that I'd turned soft overnight with the crook of her finger. "You don't think a good looking guy like me could score someone as hot as Sookie?"

He shook his head and laughed. "I know you've gotten ass that looks as good as Sookie before; but you sure as hell haven't ever brought someone like her around. Shit, you haven't brought anyone around. The most I ever see is the back of their head as they're doing the walk of shame. Mr. Love 'Em and Leave 'Em, right?"

"People change," I said, swinging Sookie's bag over the side of the truck. "I thought it'd be fun."

"Maria seems to like her," he responded, picking up my bag and walking towards the house. "And you know how Maria feels about buckle bunnies."

Yes, I was very familiar about Maria's thoughts on my wandering ways. She'd lectured me more times than I could count. I reached into the cab and grabbed my hat, pushing it firmly on my head.

"Sookie's not a buckle bunny," I said firmly. She wasn't. I had known that the first night I'd met her, though she'd acted quite differently. "Hell, she doesn't even know a lick about rodeo. The size of the purse doesn't impress her."

"Good," he said with a nod. "It's about time you grew up and stopped fucking everything in a short skirt and hairspray that came along your path."

"Fuck you, Alcide," I practically growled. "It's not like I had someone waiting for me at home."

"Sure. Hey, you're free to do whatever the hell you liked. It's just nice to see you have a girlfriend finally." He stepped onto the porch and opened the door.

"She's not my girlfriend."

He laughed and walked into the house without a word.

I scowled at his back as I followed him inside. As much as I wanted to protest, I knew he was right. I hadn't exactly been Mr. Stable when it came to relationships. Between the bar and the rodeo world, I wasn't exactly inundated with girlfriend material. Willing bodies, yes; but nothing I'd want to take home to my mother. No one like the little librarian that had come into my life like a cyclone.

I followed Alcide into his spare room and set Sookie's duffel down in the corner. Alcide had a nice little spread on his dad's ranch – big enough for the family that I knew that he and Maria had planned to start as soon as this rodeo season was over. It was far enough away from the main house that they could have their own life, but close enough to have the comforts of your family.

Alcide left me to my own devices, and I took a minute to settle myself in. I had slept in this room more times than I could count, but I had never had a woman with me. Hell, I never thought I'd ever have a woman with me. It wasn't just any girl you brought with you to your best friend's house for a sleepover. My eyes darted to the large bed, and images of Sookie sprawled naked on the dark bedspread brought a smile to my lips. I wondered how long we'd have to play nice with Maria and Alcide until I could get her to myself.

I heard a noise behind me and turned around to see the star of my fantasy standing in front of me. She had cocked her hip and was leaning against the doorframe as she surveyed me.

"Nice hat, Cowboy," she said with a laugh, nodding her head in my direction. My eyes darted up to the chocolate brown brim and I shrugged, sitting back on the bed and giving her the once over.

"Want to come take it off me?" I asked, crooking my finger in her direction.

"Not particularly," she said, walking slowly towards me. "I haven't seen you in your hat since the night in Tyler." Her eyes glazed over and she came to a stop in front of me. "I forgot how sexy you look in it. Makes me think about how you looked when you weren't wearing anything else."

"Mmm." I reached out and grabbed her hands, pulling her in between my legs. "Care for an encore?"

She giggled, grabbing the hat and placing it on her own head. "With Alcide and Maria in the next room?"

"They won't care," I saidHer eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked at me and shook her head.

"I care," she insisted. "I just met them."

"We're cowboys Sookie," I said, knowing my argument was futile. "It comes with the territory."

She laughed and stepped out of my arms. "I didn't come in here to be seduced by you Eric, though you should get big shiny Sheriff's badge for effort." She took the hat off her head and set it down on the nightstand, brim up like I'd taught her. "Maria wants to know if you want something to eat."

I smirked and nodded. "Oh yeah, there is something I definitely am hungry for."

"Eric Northman!" she screeched.

"What?" I asked with a shrug. "You asked."

"That is so not what I meant and you know it," she said. I could tell she was amused behind her stern exterior, which made me want to crack her all the more.

"Are you saying you wouldn't enjoy that? I seem to recall a similar meal in your kitchen that you liked real well." The tell-tale flush rose from the neckline of her shirt and I knew I had her. "Remember that, Bunny?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and took a step backwards. "How could I forget?" she asked. "But no. Stop that Eric. Lunch. Would you like a sandwich?"

"I guess a sandwich would do, though it isn't as good as the alternative. Maybe if I could eat it off of you…"

Her eyes opened as she backed into the door frame and she shook her head. "If you embarrass me today Eric, I swear I'll-"

"What?" I asked, standing up and taking a step towards her.

"I don't know," she said, edging her way to the open door. "But you will not like it. I can promise you that."

"I might be willing to take my chances, Bunny."

"Don't you dare," she warned.

"Try me," I said, reaching out and clasping her hand.

"Can you two stop playing grab ass and get in the kitchen?" Maria's bored voice said. I looked up to see her standing in the hallway and wondered how long she'd been standing there. The flush that had been creeping up Sookie's neck engulfed her face as she turned around to look at the small woman standing behind her.

"Northman," Maria barked, stepping forward and taking Sookie's hand. "You leave this poor girl alone. You may be used to treating all those floozies with no respect, but Sookie here is a lady. And if I hear you're treating her like anything else, I'll come after you with my California Bander."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as images of Maria coming at me with that tool crossed my mind. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"What's a California Bander?" Sookie asked, her voice small.

"We use it out at brandings," Maria said, never taking her eyes off me. "It's what separates the bulls from the steers."

Sookie's eyes widened and she looked back at me, laughter brimming under the surface.

"There you go," she said. "That's my threat too. You'll teach me how to use that, right Maria?"

"For Northman?" Maria asked with a laugh. "Of course."

Thankfully, my balls were still intact at nine o'clock that night when we were out sitting around a fire under the stars. Maria had propped herself on Alcide's knee and was regaling Sookie with a tale of my exploits at the Calgary Stampede two years ago.

"So Eric here's leaving his hotel room when this tall blond guy comes storming up the steps," she said with a laugh. "He's dressed in full Mounty gear, and starts yelling at Eric, asking him where his wife was." She looked over at me and smirked before turning to face Sookie again. "Eric played innocent, though to your defense Eric, I don't think you knew she was married."

"I didn't," I said, with a shrug. This was the fifth story Maria had told about my sexual exploits. As much as I wished she would shut up, Sookie just seemed to encourage her. At least she didn't seem too off-put by the stories, not if the way she had sidled up to me was any indication.

"So this guy starts screaming at Eric, backing him up until Eric's flush against the wall. Alc and I are standing there in fits at the predicament Eric's dick got him into when the guy starts swinging."

I laughed and shook my head, recalling the events that had led up to that particular altercation. The woman in question had propositioned me after the Stampede when we were at Cowboys. She'd been a little firecracker, and I had been a little less than discerning. But she'd drank a bit too much, and by the time we made it back to the hotel, I'd barely got my pants off when she passed out.

"So Eric full on decks him. Knocks the guy out, and steps over his prone body and asks us if we're ready to go as if nothing happened."

"No," Sookie, said, shaking with laughter as she looked up at me, the firelight dancing across her face. "You got into a fight with Dudley Dooright and laid him out?"

I shrugged and pulled her tightly against me. She'd been driving me crazy all night, snuggled up against me as we sat around and drank. She'd only had a few beers, but every beer loosened her inhibitions, and when she'd slipped her hand into my back pocket, I nearly threw her over my shoulder and took her to bed.

"Canadians beware," she said with a laugh.

"Well," Alcide said, standing up. "I reckon it's about time we headed inside. We've got to be on the road at seven tomorrow if we're going to make it up to Witchita Falls in time for our go-round."

I nodded, standing up and grabbing Sookie's hand. Most of the summer was like this, driving from rodeo to rodeo and making it in time for your event, especially in these smaller rodeos like Red River. It was a hectic schedule, but once you got used to it, it wasn't so bad. I reckoned it would only be better having Sookie with me. No need to go out late and try to find a girl to take home when I brought one with me.

We said our goodnights, and I shut the door behind us, following Sookie into the bathroom. I watched as she started her nightly ritual. She'd only been at my house for a week, but I already knew exactly what she did before she climbed into bed – or at least what she liked to do if I didn't interrupt her with a better idea. She'd start by taking off her earrings and brushing her hair, then her make-up, and last, but not least, she'd brush her teeth.

She reached up to pull the rubber band free from her hair, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of her midriff in the process.

"You sure about this, Bunny?" I asked, watching as she ran her fingers through the loose waves that fell to her shoulders.

"Sure about what?" she responded, meeting my eyes in the large mirror over the sink.

"About coming on the road with me."

She stilled, and set the brush down before turning around to face me. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the counter. "Is this your way of telling me you're not sure about this Eric?"

"What?" I asked, my eyes widening with shock. "No. Hell no. I just don't want you to do something on a whim that you're going to regret."

She shook her head and turned back around. "I've been sleeping in your bed every night for the past week. I had my chance to back out and say no, and I didn't. I came all the way to freaking Dallas with you, and put up with a night of being interrogated by your friends. If I haven't backed out yet, I am not backing out any time soon."

A smile crept across my face and I closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her waist and nestling my chin on the top of her head. "Cause you like me so much?"

She shrugged. "I like you okay, I guess."

"Mmm hmm. Just okay?" I felt her spine stiffen against my chest as my fingers danced up her ribcage, stopping just under her breasts.

"Maybe a bit more than okay," she said, sounding breathless. "But not much. I still think you're an egotistical prick."

"I thought you liked my prick," I said with a smirk.

"That's about the only thing I like about you sometimes, Eric. But it seems like you've got a lady in every honkytonk that enjoys your prick, if what Maria was saying was right."

"Maybe," I said. I wasn't going to lie about it; there really wasn't a point after the stories she'd heard tonight. "But you're the only one that can have it this summer."

She laughed. "Is that supposed to excite me?"

"I reckon it should. You seem to have liked what I've done with it so far."

"Do you ever think of anything other than your dick, Eric?" She asked, the mirth gleaming in her eyes.

"Sometimes." I shrugged, and pulled her tightly against me. "When I'm thinking about you naked, I'm not thinking about my dick much."

"No," she laughed. "That's you thinking _with _your dick."

"Either way," I responded. "It's all yours."

"Is that so?" she asked, spinning around to face me. I braced my arms on the counter on either side of her denim-clad hips and lowered my head until our foreheads touched.

"That's so, Bunny. I am at your disposal to use and abuse any way you'd like. All you've got to do is ask."

She held my gaze for a moment, not saying anything. A mischievous smile broke out across her face. "Any way I'd like?"

"Mmmm," I murmured, moving to her ear and sucking her earlobe into my mouth. She tilted her head to give me better access let out a satisfied sigh. "Anything. What way would you like me Sookie?"

"I've got a few ideas of what I'd like you to do tonight," she said, pulling back to meet my eyes.

"Like what?"

"Well, first things first, you are wearing far too many clothes," she said, tugging the bottom of my shirt out of my jeans. This was promising. She'd only had two or three beers, but maybe she was too drunk to remember her diatribe about not having sex with me in Alcide's house. I certainly wasn't going to remind her.

"There's an easy way to fix that, Bunny."

I groaned when she reached up and began unbuttoning the white buttons, slowly taking her time. Our hips were melded to one another's, though she was barely touching me beyond the stray brush of her knuckle against my chest. This was going to drive me crazy.

I reached out and tugged at the straps of her tank top, and groaned when she slapped my hands away. "No, this is about what I want. Use and abuse as I'd like, right?"

I swallowed audibly and nodded. Maybe my little dominatrix fantasy was coming to light. This might just be the best night ever.

When my shirt was unbuttoned, she slid her hands across my chest and ran her fingertips around my back. "Why don't you go finish getting undressed and get yourself in bed," she said, standing up on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear.

"Sounds pretty good to me," I said, turning my head and kissing her for the first time. Her fingers tightened against my bare skin. If she'd had any nails, I would have surely been marked, not that I would've complained. When she was thoroughly melted against me, I broke off and asked, "You gonna join me?"

She nodded, reluctantly dropping her hands to the side. "In a bit."

"Then what?" I asked. Hell, this was hotter than a lot of foreplay I'd experienced over the years. If she'd tell me in detail what she wanted me to do, I'd add in my own flavor of course, but this'd be a hell of a starting point. I'd be more than happy to comply with her wishes.

"Then," she said, looking at me wistfully. "Then we are going to go to sleep."

Except that.

"Shit Sookie," I growled, tightening my grip on her.

"What?" She asked innocently, pushing at me gently. "You said I could have anything I wanted."

"I didn't think you'd want that Sookie." I sounded whiny, but frankly I didn't give a fuck. She'd riled me up, got me thinking we'd be having some extracurricular activities that might help me go to sleep, and now this?

"We've got a long day ahead of us Cowboy. And I sure don't want to be responsible for you doing bad tomorrow cause you missed out on some sleep."

"I'm more than likely to mess up cause we didn't have sex, Sookie," I said. It sounded like a good argument. Hell, it was a good argument. Lying next to her in that bed and not getting to have her would surely make me more restless than going to sleep thirty minutes later.

"Nuh uh," she said, shaking her head. "I told you it wasn't going to happen earlier. Not in Alcide's house. Not before we have to hit the road and you've got to perform tomorrow."

"Bunny, there's gonna be a hell of a lot more nights like this. We're gonna be moving from town to town, lucky if we even get a bed to sleep in. There's no way I can keep my hands off you every night before a rodeo."

She leaned back and bit her lip, as she often did when she was thinking. It made me want to suck her lip into my mouth and bite it for her myself.

"Then," she said, nodding to herself. "Then think of it as your final night of rest before you hit the road. Your last chance to get a good night's sleep."

"I don't want a good night's sleep, Sookie," I said. "What I want is you naked and on top of me."

Her eyes widened. She still wasn't accustomed to my forthrightness sometimes, and damned if I didn't like that about her.

"Eric," she said, shaking her head when I pulled her to me. "I can't-"

"I can be real quiet Bunny," I said, running my lips along her neck, stopping in the spot I knew she couldn't resist. "Real quiet," I whispered. I pulled her pelvis against me, showing her exactly how much I wanted her.

She groaned when I pulled the skin on her neck into my mouth. "We shouldn't," she protested.

"We should," I said again, knowing that I was melting her defenses.

"This is me protesting," she said half-heartedly.

"You can stop me if you really want me to," I murmured between kisses, as I began to unbutton the fly on her jeans. She didn't stop me. Not even when my fingers brushed along the top of the scrap of lace covering her. "Lace?" I asked.

She shrugged and nodded, reaching up to entwine her fingers in my hair.

"You want me to stop, Bunny?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No."

"You sure, now?" I asked, pushing the denim down over her thighs. The jeans fell to the floor leaving her in nothing but her lace and a t-shirt.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "But I swear to god Eric, if you make one peep and they hear it, it's over."

"Is that a challenge?" I tugged the shirt up and over her head, reaching around and releasing the matching bra with one flick.

She gasped and nodded when I hoisted her onto the counter and stepped between her thighs.

"I'm always up to a challenge, Bunny."

And I was.

**AN:** Hey Eric lover (that's you), did you ever think about reading stories that DON'T have Eric in them? (gasp, I know) Thyra10, Sapfirerose and I were having a twitter conversation one day about the severe lack of stories written that don't include our dear Viking or his darling telepath, and have created a community and an associated challenge for stories that do not have Eric/Sookie or Sookie/Bill as the main pairing. Please head on over and give it a go:

http : // www . fanfiction . net/community/When_Two_Wrongs_Make_a_Right/81488/

Okay, now back to the cowboy. I can honestly say I didn't think I was going to write the Cowboy again. He's a cocky SOB and sometimes I want to be like Maria-Starr and use the California Bander on him. But I managed to stave off the urge for at least one more chapter ;D


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** Can you believe it? Another chapter of Cowboy Eric was actually written! Well, here's the good news – there are three chapters written; the bad news (for some)? They're the last three chapters of the story. I know that there are a lot of you out there who adore the cowboy, and believe me when I say that I appreciate your dedication and patience when it came to this story.

Knowing that there are so many fans to this story, I didn't want to leave you all hanging indefinitely. The events that happen in these next three chapters were mapped out from the beginning, they just move a bit quicker than I had earlier anticipated. However, it's a return to the Cowboy and the Librarian and a resolution, so hooray! These next three chapters will be posted fairly quickly, and then it's time to move on! :D

Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**SPOV**

The sun was beating down, making the red plastic seats devices of torture instead of the friendly sitting places they were meant to be. Being a rodeo WAG (or whatever the hell you'd classify a girl like me who drove around the country with a good looking cowboy but wasn't dating him) wasn't nearly as glamorous as other sports. Instead of sky boxes and champagne, it was a hard seat in a dusty arena and the wafting smell of corn dogs. We didn't even get the plush shade seats that paying customers got, but I supposed that went along with the territory.

"Good gravy," I said, waving one of the daily sheets in front of my face to cool myself down. "Who would have thought Canada was so freaking hot? I thought Calgary was a frozen tundra."

Maria Starr chuckled and leaned her head on the seat back behind her. "It ain't a proper rodeo without the heat," she said. "Plus, you're a good southern girl, this dry stuff should be a breeze."

And it may have been if I wasn't so exhausted from all the travel we had done over the last few weeks.

I hardly recognized myself. It was like I was a different person, the type of person that agreed to drive for thousands of miles along empty stretches of interstate in the cab of the black pickup truck belonging to one Mr. Eric Northman.

Sookie Stackhouse, school librarian, was not the type of girl who went on a road trip with a handsome cowboy. She was not the kind of girl that stayed up into the wee hours naked in bed with the cowboy in question. Whoever I was becoming was someone I didn't know, and I had decided to embrace that woman while she lasted. Soon enough I'd be back to my usual self; the type of woman who wasn't known for being terribly adventurous.

I hadn't truly thought that signing up for a month long road trip would be this hard on my body, but then again I had never really traveled with cowboys. There was no such thing as taking it easy for the guys. Most of the cowboys I'd met drove hard to ride in the event like we did, but unlike the four of us, they didn't head back to a hotel after the event; instead they cracked a beer as soon as they were done riding and went out hunting for buckle bunnies as soon as the bar opened. I'd seen more women doing the early morning walk of shame outside of the hoards of campers that lined the parking lots of the arenas than I would have thought was possible. But, just like I had that first night, the women were willing to be loved and left, if it meant being loved by a handsome cowboy.

I shook my head, trying not to think about what Eric did on the road when I wasn't here, or what he would do once he'd dropped me off on my doorstep and hopped back onto the road. Better to ignore that.

Even ignoring the thought of the extracurricular activities most cowboys partook in, I could admit that rodeoing was a hard way to live. There were no luxuries associated with the sport - most cowboys slept in their trailers, staying nowhere for more than a few days at a time.

Even with Eric's rather high class tastes (always a motel if possible, and even a dirty motel was better than trying to fit his oversized body and my rather normal sized body into the cab of his four door truck) it was far from glamorous.

We had been on the road for the last three weeks; riding behind Alcide's matching truck as we drove from rodeo to rodeo. That was three entire weeks of sitting in a bucket seat while they drove like bats out of hell, stopping every night so they could do their thing, and climbing back into the truck before the sun came up. It wasn't the company I minded – Alcide and Maria were just as nice as I had expected them to be; and Eric? Eric was unlike any man I'd ever known. Somehow he managed to drive all day, rope at night and keep me up for hours doing wicked things to my body. I felt like the only time I ever slept was in the cab of Eric's pickup, and let me tell you, it wasn't exactly comfortable.

Now, halfway through week four, I was exhausted. Alcide and Eric had already roped once in Calgary this week, their score qualifying them for the short go on the weekend, but being the men that they were, they'd hit up two other smaller rodeos in a two hundred mile vicinity in the three days they had to wait and see if their time made the cut. That meant driving through the night and catching sleep wherever possible. By some miracle, we managed to find an empty hotel room when we pulled into Calgary late last night. I was barely able to make it as far as the bed before I collapsed in a heap. Eric must've pulled my boots off and tucked me in, because the next think I knew, it was morning and he was already out of bed and in the shower.

We had slipped into an easy routine fairly quickly. There wasn't room for modesty when you spent every waking hour together, nor was there any desire for modesty. His hands and mouth had been on practically every inch of my body, as mine had been on his. There wasn't much left to hide. I had never had this type of ease with Bill; never had the level of comfort that let him see me looking anything but my best. With Eric, I didn't care if he saw me with messy hair and mascara streaking down my face. Of course, it was a bit obnoxious that he never looked anything less than perfect. Stupid Nordic genetics.

I yawned, stretching my arms over my head as we continued to wait for Alcide and Eric to have their turn. Rodeo was nothing but a long day of hurrying up to wait. Alcide and Eric weren't out there for more than five seconds on a good day, but that five seconds came cushioned in about three hours of other cowboys doing their thing. I'd seen more men get bucked off of bulls than I could count, and so many barrel racers that I figured I could do the clover pattern in my sleep. As fun as it was being out on the road with Eric, the thought of going home to my nice, normal life sounded pretty darn good too. Though I imagined the first week back wouldn't be any fun, what with Amelia surely there to interrogate the living crap out of me.

I'd finally returned her calls about a week into my travels, one boring night in South Dakota as I waited for Eric to see to his horses. She'd immediately jumped on my case about running off with some man who "could be a psychopath for all I knew". Needless to say, we hadn't really talked since. I understood where she was coming from, really I did, but that didn't make it any easier to hear. So, instead of dealing with the issue, I'd wrapped myself up in the little world Eric had created for me, where my biggest concern was when we'd find the next washing machine so I could wash my underwear again. Let me tell you, packing for a month on the road isn't easy, especially when I had no clue what I needed for my venture into the rodeo world.

"Here they come," Maria said, nudging me out of my thoughts. I looked across the dusty arena to the slack shoots and saw Eric sitting proud and tall on his horse. A shiver went down my spine at the sight of him. Even after seeing this countless times, I still couldn't get over the sight of him with his cowboy hat firmly on his head, his eyes intent on the steer in the gate. He looked like a man in control of everything around him, and I could testify that he was very good when he took the reins.

The gate opened, the steer running full speed as it took advantage of the lead time. I unknowingly held my breath as Alcide and Eric went into action. Alcide's horse was out of the box first, racing towards the steer to rope the head quickly before the steer had a chance to gain too much of a lead. Once the rope was securely in place around its horns, Eric went into action. He rode swiftly, swinging the rope in precise movements over his head and catch the legs of the steer.

My eyes flew to the timer, and I let out my own holler of joy to match Maria's when we saw that the time they clocked put them in first place with only one more team to go. Eric looked over to where we were sitting, his eyes locking with mine as his lips curved up. His hand flew up to his hat, tipping it in our direction, and then he was gone and the final team was on.

We watched with bated breath as Eric and Alcide's main competitors all season took to the arena. The steer came flying out of the gate, with Alcee Beck close on its heels. The rope flew across the air in a graceful arch, landing on the horns of the steer and jerking it back towards him. Alcee's partner Kevin threw his rope in an equally effortless fashion and the clock stopped once the ropes were rigged. I looked up and saw that they were .3 seconds quicker than Eric and Alcide and groaned. Eric was never in a good mood when they didn't win, even if it was close.

"Holy shit!" Maria screeched, not sounding nearly as disappointed as I was. "Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit!"

"What?" I asked, shaking my head and looking between her and the slack gates. "What is it?"

"Kevin broke the barrier," she said, her eyes wide. "He-"

She was cut off by the announcer. I looked back to the screen and saw the ten second penalty assessed to their time.

"Holy shit!" I mimicked, throwing my arms around Maria as we hopped up and down maniacally.

"They won!" she yelled. "They won the Stampede!"

…

It was two hours later when I saw Eric. He and Alcide had been awarded their buckles and taken on a press tour. It was like they were politicians when they won these things, going around shaking the hands and kissing the babies of all the local dignitaries and sponsors of the event. Maria and I headed back to the trucks when the rodeo was officially over, grabbing two cold beers out of the back to help us bide our time.

I had a mouthful of Coors Light when I felt a pair of strong arms pick me up and swing me around.

"Put me down!" I screeched, spraying the beer in a wide arc, which thankfully did not hit either Maria or Alcide, who were in their own celebratory pattern.

"Gladly," the voice I'd become increasingly familiar with said in my ear, putting me down on the soles of my now infamous red boots and spinning me around to face him. His cowboy hat was tipped back on his head, a stray lock of blond hair falling over his forehead as he smiled down at me. There was nothing quite like being with Eric after he won a big paycheck and title.

"I missed you," he murmured, leaning forward to rest the brim of his hat against my head.

"Is that so?" I asked, with what I hoped was a coy smile.

"Mmm," he nodded, closing the distance to capture my lips for a kiss that left me breathless. He pulled me towards him, our bodies melding together in the hot sun above us as he lazily explored my mouth.

"You guys need a room?" Maria's laughing voice asked, pulling me out of the spell Eric cast over me. "Again? Man, you'd think you'd be over the bunny stage by now."

Eric's silent laughter racked his entire body as he pulled away from me and faced Maria. "I don't reckon I'm going to be over the bunny stage any time soon." His eyes darted back to look at me, the heat emanating from them practically melting me on the spot.

"Enough about that," I interrupted with a nervous laugh as I stepped in front of Eric. "What are we doing now? Do we need to get on the road?"

The thought of climbing into the cab of Eric's pickup made me cringe, but I had come to realize that when it came to the actual schedule of events, I had little say in the matter.

"Whatdya think Alc?" Eric asked, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on the top of my head. "Where do we go next?"

"Well," Alcide said, leaning back against the hood of his truck, "I reckon the next one we need to be at is down in Mesquite on Thursday, then we've got Cheyenne at the end of the month. We can hit some of the smaller gigs along the way."

I groaned at the thought of driving all the way to Texas in four days. We had been back and forth to Texas more times than I could count. For someone that wasn't used to traveling, I was certainly getting my fill of it; or at least the bits between Texas and one of the square states.

"But," Alcide continued, "I say we stay in Calgary for the night, maybe go out and celebrate a little bit; take a bit of a breather. Hell, with the purse we just won, we can afford to skip some of the smaller arenas along the way."

"Thank God!" Maria exclaimed, brushing a patch of dirt off her jeans. "I don't know about you Sook, but I could use a night of dressing up and going out. We haven't had any fun since we hit the road."

"I don't know about that," Eric murmured in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "I'd say we've had some good times."

"What's that?" Maria asked, looking between the two of us knowingly.

"Nothing," I squeaked, wiggling out of Eric's embrace.

"Mmm hmm," she said, her lips curving into a smirk before she turned back to face Alcide. "Come on big boy, let's head back to the hotel so we can freshen up and give the lovebirds over there a chance to reunite."

They climbed into their truck before I could get a word in edgewise, the engine roaring to life as I stood stock still just outside of Eric's embrace. I certainly should be more embarrassed by all of Maria's allusions to my sex life, and at times I was believe me, but the fact of the matter is that she wasn't too far off most of the time. Yes, I had collapsed into a pile last night, but there was plenty of time to make up for it before we had to be ready for dinner and whatever else came after that.

"You ready Bunny?" Eric asked from behind me.

"I'm always ready," I responded.

…

The celebration dinner was infinitely more enjoyable once the fourth round of drinks hit the table. I had never been much of a drinker, and the lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion didn't help my tolerance levels one bit. Maria wasn't much better, though you wouldn't expect her to be based on her tiny tot size.

"You two," Maria said, waving her hand maniacally between Eric and me. "I've got to admit, when Alcide said he was bringing a girl on the road with him, I didn't know what to expect. I figured it'd be another whore-"

"Maria!" Alcide barked, looking at me sheepishly. I laughed and shook my head in reassurance as Maria rolled her eyes in his direction.

"Oh, come on! Eric isn't exactly known for his taste in women, no offense," she apologized.

"None taken," I said with a chuckle and leaned into the arm that Eric had thrown over my shoulders. "And what kind of girl goes on a road trip with a stranger that _isn't _a bit of a whore?" I giggled.

"Sookie," Eric growled, a warning undertone in his voice.

"Oh hush," I said, slapping playfully at his arm.

"That's my point!" Maria exclaimed, as if she had just discovered the secrets of the universe. "You are not what I expected at all."

I laughed as Eric threw back the rest of the whiskey in his glass and leveled his eyes on Maria.

"Don't you start giving her the stink eye Eric Northman," I commanded.

"I'm just trying to compliment your taste in women cowboy," Maria said, punctuating her sentence with a hiccup. "I rather like Sookie."

"I like you too," I beamed.

"Even though you have terrible taste in men," Maria said, leaning in conspiratorially.

"Maria," Alcide pled, pulling her back towards him. "Eric, I'm sorry man."

"Don't be," Eric said, signaling to the waitress that we needed our check. "I've got to agree with Maria on that one."

"That I've got terrible taste in men?" I asked, spinning in my seat to look at him.

He shrugged, reaching out to take the ticket from the pretty waitress that had been flirting with him all night despite the arm he'd slung around my shoulders.

"Besides me, I mean," he said with a smirk.

"Oh no," Maria interjected. "Totally including you."

"I think I'm a bit of a catch. What do you think Bunny?"

I groaned, hoping Maria hadn't overheard my nickname. I wasn't that lucky.

"Bunny?" she squealed. "He calls you 'Bunny?"

I nodded, sucking the last bit of my gin and tonic dry. There really wasn't much else to do at that point.

"Do you have _any _idea what that means, Sookie?" Maria asked.

"Um…" I trailed off. Yes, I knew exactly what it meant. Was it bad to say that it had kind of grown on me, despite its connotations? "It's a joke," I said lamely.

Maria scowled in Eric's direction and shook her head.

"It is," he defended. "You know I don't chase buckle bunnies Maria."

She sat back and looked between the two of us. "True," she said, finally. "You usually go for the psychopaths and then date them."

"Me?" he asked with a laugh. "If I remember correctly, it's your boy Alcide there that was dating the psychopath."

"Hey, what did I do to be brought into this?" Alcide asked with a laugh, reaching out to grab his hat and placing it firmly on his head. "I'm just sitting here minding my own business when-"

"You should know that nobody gets to mind their own business by now," Maria interjected, shaking her head. "And Eric's right, Debbie was a total psychopath. Do you remember when we found that dead cat outside after I first moved in with you?"

Alcide groaned, nodding his head. I kind of felt bad for him, but not bad enough to interrupt. I was thankful that the spotlight had been taken off of me for the time being.

"I seem to recall you going out with John Quinn before I met you," he retorted.

I thought I was going to choke on the gin in my mouth as an image of tiny little John Quinn flashed into my mind. That member of the Lollipop Guild made Eric look like a saint.

"You dated John Quinn?" I screeched, recalling the small man I had met that night in Tyler.

"It was one date!" Maria defended, then turned to face Alcide. "And I only did it to make you notice me."

"I was already noticing you," Alcide replied, looking at her with heat laden eyes. "If I remember correctly, I'd been chasing after you for seven months by then."

She shrugged. "I had to make sure you were serious. Can you blame me? I know how you cowboys are," she added with a laugh. She turned her attention back to me, her eyes brimming with merriment. "How do you know John Quinn?"

"Uh… well, the night I met Eric, he… uh…"

I heard Eric chuckle beside me, feeling his hand trail down my bare arm as he sat forward and finished the uncomfortable story of my John Quinn meeting.

"He tried to pick her up in Tyler. The night we met."

I nodded, looking over at him and mouthing a thank you. I didn't really like to talk about that night; it wasn't my proudest moment, despite the outcome.

"In Tyler?" Maria asked, sounding incredulous.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Why?"

"That was what, a month and a half ago?"

"About…"

She turned to face Alcide, biting her lower lip in the process. "Didn't he…?" I sat forward in my seat, the alcohol lowering any sense of propriety I may have felt. "I thought he…"

_Thought he what? _

"Didn't your sister go to his wedding in April, Alcide?"

_WEDDING? _I screamed internally. He was married? Married for less than two months and still going out to the bar to pick up women?

"Yeah," Alcide said, nodding slowly. "You're right."

"Ugh," Maria groaned, "That figures. Goddamn these cowboys; can't trust 'em any further than you can throw 'em."

"Hey!" Alcide cried, holding his hands up in mock defense. "That's kind of a blanket statement there Maria."

"Not you of course," she said with a nod. "You're different. Plus, you know I'd castrate you if I found out you were playing with someone else's hidey hole. I'm not worried about you. But the rest of 'em? Best to stay as far away as possible."

I felt like I was going to vomit. I'd seen the way some of these cowboys worked; knew that being faithful wasn't a priority for a lot of them, but it made me feel ill to think that I had been on the receiving end of that behavior. And if Maria said that all cowboys were the same, was Eric included? It shouldn't even be a question where I was concerned – we had an agreement and we'd part at the end of it – but I couldn't stop a part of me from wondering what would happen if we did become something more serious than a summer fling. Would he kiss me goodbye and spend the night with another woman? I would like to think he wouldn't, but the seed of doubt was planted. I guessed it was a good thing that I'd never be in the position to find out.

"But screw John Quinn," Maria said, standing up and tossing her napkin on the table. "Well, not literally," she giggled, "but enough about him. The night's young. Let's get the hell out of here.

Alcide stood up, pushing his chair in noisily and cocking his head towards the door. "Ready?"

"Why don't you to go on ahead of us?" Eric responded with a chuckle. "We'll catch you over at Cowboys."

"Works for me," Maria said, tucking her arm into Alcide's. "Try not to do anything I wouldn't," she called over her shoulder as they left.

Eric reached down and took the glass from my hands, bringing it up to drink from the same spot my lips had been. I was reminded of that first night, when he'd done the same thing. Despite the vague sense of sickness I'd just gone through, his actions turned me into a puddle just as they had done that first night. Eric Northman had a way about him that made me melt, which made my decision to ignore the future all the easier.

"Have I told you lately that I'm glad you decided to come on this trip with me?" he asked, turning to face me.

"Not yet today," I responded, reaching out to intertwine my fingers in his.

"You're like my little good luck charm," he said, leaning down to brush a kiss across my temple. "My very hot, very sexy good luck charm." His breath was hot against my ear, causing all kinds of crazy sensations to shoot through my body. His lips curled around my earlobe, suckling on it gently in the otherwise empty restaurant. "Are you gonna help me win Cheyenne, Bunny?" he asked between assaults on my ear.

"Cheyenne?" I panted.

"The big show," he murmured. "Frontier Days."

The two words zapped every ounce of desire from my body. Frontier Days was the last rodeo on our trip, the end of our adventure. Despite the decision that we had to stick to our plan, I still was reluctant to see it end.

"When's that?" I asked breathlessly.

"Two weeks," he answered, seemingly unaware of my change in attitude as his hand traced a lazy pattern on my thigh. "You ever been to Cheyenne?" I shook my head. "You're gonna love it."

I doubted it. Somehow, I imagined the last rodeo of our road trip wouldn't bring out the warm fuzzies in me.

"Let's not talk about that Eric," I said, pulling back from him and standing up.

He looked up at me, his eyebrow cocked in confusion. "Something wrong Bunny?"

You could say that.

"No," I said, pasting a bright smile on my face. "But it's late, and I want to go dancing."

I knew I needed to be a big girl and go back to my life as I knew it when this was over, I just would rather not think about it.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Thanks to everyone who stuck around and read/reviewed yesterday!

**

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Chapter 12**

**SPOV**

I tipped Eric's hat down over my eyes, blocking out more of the sun that beat down through the windshield. I had taken a liking to his hat for my sun shield; it smelled like him – all musk and dust and something that was unidentifiable, but completely him. The scent should have made me happy, but instead it made me want to cry.

It had been two weeks since Alcide and Eric had won at Calgary, two very successful weeks as far as the rodeo world was concerned. We'd driven to Mesquite as planned, stopping for a few days to recoup at the Herveaux ranch where I had the chance to meet Alcide's family. I'd felt like a fraud there, introduced as Eric's girlfriend to their smiling faces. I wasn't Eric's girlfriend; I would never be Eric's girlfriend. That wasn't in the plan. One week from Tuesday and I would be back to being Sookie Stackhouse, school librarian and life-long Bon Temps resident.

I had tried to stick to the plan of living in the now, but as the end drew nearer, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about the future. The now offered a wickedly handsome cowboy; the now was adventure; the now included a care-free attitude towards life. The future on the short term horizon didn't have any of that.

I would mourn the loss of the new Sookie, the Sookie that did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, but I knew it was unrealistic to hold onto her. Instead of keeping her out to play, I would have to tuck her away to remember on a rainy day.

I had to let her go. Whenever I thought about keeping her, the memory of the conversation about John Quinn ate away at me. Keeping the new Sookie – and by extension, Eric – would kill me. Despite the act, I wasn't the type of girl that was up for anything. I liked stability, I liked certainty; and a future with Eric was anything but certain.

"You can stop pretending to sleep there Bunny," Eric's deep voice said, filling the close quarters of the truck. He chuckled when I didn't move, and flicked the back of his hat until it fell onto my lap.

"Hey!" I screeched, grabbing the hat and placing it firmly on my head. "Maybe I wouldn't need to try and sleep in the car if you ever let me sleep at night."

"Is that a complaint?" he asked, the sides of his mouth tipping up in a shit eating grin. "Cause, Bunny, you certainly didn't seem to be protesting last night. In fact," he paused, looking across the cab at me, "I seem to recall you doing some begging last night."

"Um." I felt myself blush, that deep kind of blush that you can feel right up to the roots of your hair, as I recalled the moment he was talking about. Certainly not my finest hour, though he might beg to differ.

"I'll take that as a no then," he responded, turning his attention back to the road. "I tell you what, I certainly didn't mind you down on your knees."

Yep, somehow I turned even redder. "Eric!" I squealed. I felt something building inside of me – call it frustration, anger, sleep deprivation, annoyance, I wasn't sure what was at the forefront. All I knew is that I couldn't keep the fear and uncertainty inside anymore, or it was going to consume me.

"What Bunny?" he asked that lazy grin still on his face, clearly oblivious to what he was walking into.

"Do you really have to talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like," I shifted further down in my seat, "well, you know. Always bringing up sex? You sound like a total douchebag." I gasped as the words came out of my mouth. I hadn't thought I'd take it quite that far.

"Bunny," he chuckled, "you've got a dirty mouth on you. Though I suppose I knew that already." I groaned again. He thought this was funny? Of course he did. It only served to infuriate me more. "Don't tell me you're embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed!" I practically shouted. I wasn't. I was mad at myself, mad at the situation, but I wasn't embarrassed.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, turning to look out the window.

"Bunny," he said achingly.

"What?"

"Don't pretend nothing is wrong when something clearly is."

"It's nothing." He'd kept up his end of the bargain, I could keep mine up.

"Bunny," he repeated, somewhat impatiently this time. "Tell me."

"Fine," I said, turning back to face him. "I don't like when you talk to me like that."

"Like what?"

"Turning everything into a sexual innuendo. I don't like it."

"I-"

"No," I interrupted. "It doesn't matter. We're going to be done in a week, it doesn't matter for me. But, since you wanted to know, I'll tell you. Maybe it'll help you with girls you meet down the line."

He made a noise from low in his throat, an almost guttural growl.

"Who says there are going to be more girls down the line?" he asked.

"Oh please," I said, laughing incredulously. "A good looking cowboy like you isn't going to be alone for long. You'll have girls knocking down your door to have sex with you in no time." I knew that I was having an internal struggle with the concept of him leaving cold turkey, but I had thought I would be able to keep it that way – internal. Apparently not.

Of course he'd move onto other women, other partners. Unlike me. I would be holed up in the school library forever, always thinking about the man sitting across the cab from me and never finding anyone that would measure up.

He didn't say anything in response, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. We hadn't talked about what would happen after Cheyenne, it was a subject we both avoided – or, at least one that I had avoided. I didn't want to hear what he had to say, though we both knew the arrangement.

He pulled the truck to the side of the road abruptly, unbuckling his seatbelt and turning to face me. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Doing what?" I asked. Oh, I knew what he meant, but I was as stubborn as the day is long.

"Picking a fight with me," he said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Talking about me having sex with other girls?"

"Why avoid it?" I asked, letting out a shaky breath. "It's not like we can hide from the inevitable. We're headed to Cheyenne, it's the last stop on the Sookie-Eric train and we both know it."

"It doesn't have to be," he said lowly.

"Of course it does," I said, rolling my eyes in futility. "We didn't sign up for anything beyond this. You don't have to pretend you want something more. I am not going to freak out when we part in Shreveport." Total lie.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked. He raked a hand through his blond hair, a stray strand falling boyishly across his forehead as he watched me. "Why are you saying this?"

I covered my face with my hands, squeezing my eyes shut to try to refocus myself. It was like I was watching from a distance, watching my inner crazy come out and wreck havoc on what had been an otherwise pleasant drive, but I had no way to stop it.

"It's inevitable Eric," I said, opening my eyes to look at him.

"Why?" he asked. One word that I didn't have a good answer to.

"Because it just is. Even if we did decide this could be something else – which it can't – I have a job, a life; I wouldn't be able to be with you on the road all the time, and you're not the type of guy that is going to be ignored. I've seen how cowboys act, hell I've even been hit on by a married man. I can't sit at home every night wondering where you are and who you're with. I'd go mad."

His jaw ticked rhythmically. It should have been a warning sign, but frankly I was mad enough myself that I didn't care.

"What makes you think I'd do that to you? What makes you think I'm like other cowboys? Have I done _anything_ that would make you think I'm like fucking John Quinn?"

"No," I answered honestly. "Of course not. But a lot of things can happen when people are apart. I wouldn't-

"Wouldn't what?" he commanded.

"I don't know," I whispered helplessly. "I just couldn't live like that. We have an agreement. We should stick to it. It's what has to be."

He sat back in his seat, looking straight ahead. I could tell he was thinking of something by the way his hands danced on the steering wheel.

"I don't agree. At all. But I don't want to fight Bunny," he said, stilling his hands. I didn't say anything; couldn't say anything. I hadn't known what to expect from him, but it wasn't total resignation. "We've got a week. We've got Cheyenne, and then we go back to Shreveport. If you decide that you don't want to see me anymore once we get back to Shreveport, then so be it. There's nothing I can do to force you into something more than this."

"I-" What? What did I want? Sure, I wanted to say that I would give it a go with my handsome cowboy, but I was too logical to think that would actually work. We would inevitably end up at each other's throats. Why not keep the memory of us a happy one? Not that I was doing anything to help that front. "I'm sorry," I said finally. "I shouldn't have brought it up. You're right, we've got a week. I didn't mean to spoil it. I'm…tired I suppose," I finished lamely.

He looked over at me, his eyes boring a hole into my soul as he assessed me. His face was grim as he nodded, reaching to buckle his seatbelt. "Why don't you try to get some sleep?"

I tipped back in the seat as he pulled off the shoulder of the road and covered my face with his hat again. I shut my eyes, willing the hurt and anger to go away, and while I was successful on the later part, a single tear slid down my face. No, the hurt wouldn't be going away any time soon.

**EPOV**

I stared at the road ahead of me. It took every ounce of control and concentration I had to stay on the road; every part of my body was screaming at me to shake some sense into the woman who was sleeping in my passenger's seat. How could she possibly think that I was like the rest of these idiots; that she was anything like the women that sat at home, knowing full well what their husbands were doing, and stayed with them?

I didn't know what had happened to make Sookie bring up our return to Shreveport. It was a subject I had wanted to broach a few times with her, only I wasn't sure how to do it. I had known after a week that I didn't want this to be a short term deal that ended after Cheyenne. Sure, I'd been physically attracted to Sookie from the beginning, but after a week on the road I realized that I actually liked her. I liked her more than anyone I had ever dated, not that she had much competition in that arena.

She was smart and funny, and one look from her could get my pulse racing like a teenage boy. She made me want to lock her up and keep her forever, but apparently I didn't do the same for her. Apparently she was scared enough that she was going to be able to walk away from whatever we had without looking back. And you know what? It fucking sucked.

I wallowed in self pity for the next three hours as Sookie slept restlessly next to me. After twenty minutes, the hat she was so fond of covering her face with dropped into her lap revealing her innocent, sleeping face. My fingers itched to reach out and touch her, to smooth the blonde curls away from her face, but I managed to restrain myself. That was something a boyfriend would do, not something your summer detached fling would do.

She stirred as I slowed down to pull off the highway, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Cheyenne."

"Oh," she said, turning to look out the window. We were silent as we drove through town towards the motel I'd reserved for the week. I had splashed out and gone for something a bit nicer than normal, knowing that it would be the only time where we stayed in one place for more than two days at a time.

We both started to talk at the same time -

"Eric-"

"Sookie-"

"You go ahead," I said, curious as to what she was going to say.

"I…I'm sorry. About earlier. I think we should just forget the conversation we had, if that's possible." Her uncomfortable laughter filled the air when I didn't respond. "I was being crazy; tired. I want a do-over. Just a complete memory erase of what I said. I…I shouldn't have said anything."

"Yeah," I said. "Sure." My jaw ticked as I clenched my teeth together. If she didn't want to talk about it, that was fine. It would have to be. I wasn't known for being in touch with my emotions; I could avoid situations as good as anyone.

"Oh good," she said, letting out a relieved sigh. "I do so want this week to be perfect. I know…I know it's really important to you, and I don't want to mess anything up for you."

I looked over at her as I pulled to a stop in a parking space, forcing myself to smile. "How could you mess anything up?" I asked, trying to sound as normal as possible. We had a little over a week left; eleven days to carry on like we used to be. "You're my good luck bunny after all."

Her laughter was only slightly less awkward this time. "Exactly," she said with a nod. "And what kind of good luck charm would I be if I didn't follow through with the entire ritual?" She unbuckled her seatbelt, crawling across the seat towards me until her face was inches from mine. "Unless, of course, you're too tired from the drive?"

I closed my eyes briefly, kicking my inner self in the ass – because God save me, there was still a part of me that wanted this to be something more. When I'd finally locked him away again, I opened my eyes and shook my head. "I'm never too tired for you Bunny." And the sad fact is that I wasn't. Even after driving for ten hours straight, my body was straining to be near her.

We rushed through check in, driven by our need to be together again. A part of me thought that I could make her understand through my actions what I couldn't express in words. I fumbled with the key in the door, finally getting it to unlock at the third attempt. She was on me as soon as the door was open, pressing herself against my back as we walked into the dimly lit room.

"Eric," she mumbled, kicking out of the flip flops she'd adorned for the trip and wrapping her arms around me from behind. I spun around, lifting her up against me until her legs wrapped around my waist. It was a familiar position to both of us, echoing so closely the first night we'd been together in Tyler. It had seemed so long ago, it was hard to believe that it had been less than two months. We'd spent so much time together that I felt like I knew her better than I knew myself; or, at least I had thought that before the bomb she dropped on me in the truck.

No, I wouldn't think about that. Not when I had her ready and willing in my arms. If this was really going to end in a week, I needed to take advantage of the time we had with each other.

She reached down and pulled her own shirt off before she began to tug at the buttons of my shirt, groaning against my lips as her fingertips struggled to get them undone. She felt like fire in my arms, the hot skin of her exposed thighs slick against my hands as they held her up.

I stumbled towards the bed, not taking my lips off her hers until we reached the end. I set her down, watching as she scrambled backwards to allow me room to join her, whipping the skirt she'd been wearing off in the process.

"Take that off," she commanded, nodding towards the shirt that hung open. I removed it quickly, reaching down and undoing the buttons on my jeans and kicking out of them as well. When I moved forward, positioning myself over her, we were skin to skin, only the tiny scraps of her panties and my boxers between us.

Her lips pressed against my neck, hungrily moving across my skin until they reached my collar bone. "Eric," she murmured, trailing her mouth back up to meet mine. Her tongue nudged at my lips, seeking entrance that I was quick to give her.

My hands were everywhere, unable to decide where they wanted to be most until they reached her lace covered breasts. "Sookie," I groaned, pushing the fabric away and lowering my head to take her into my mouth.

My abdomen tightened in anticipation when she emitted a guttural groan and threaded her fingers through my hair. I knew then that, despite her arguments earlier, she wasn't immune to me. You didn't respond like this to someone you were detached from. My movements became more frantic with that knowledge, my desire for her becoming almost overwhelming.

I pushed the last scrap of fabric covering her down her hips, kicking it from between her feet with my own and sending my boxers to join it at the foot of the bed. Her hands clasped at me, her back arching as I held myself above her.

"Open your eyes Sookie," I commanded, and when she did they were full of a raw desire that could not be denied. It was as if time stood still for that one minute as we looked into each other's eyes.

"Eric," she whimpered, clutching at my shoulders as I eased myself into her. The serenity from moments before was quickly replaced by a frenetic need to consume each other. Our bodies moved in synchronized movements, each desperate to elicit a response from the other.

"Sookie," I growled as she writhed beneath me, closer and closer to finding her release. "Don't fight it," I commanded, my meaning extending to more than just the orgasm at her fingertips. Her eyes locked with mine, an unspoken understanding passing between us before she came apart beneath me.

I wanted more; undoubtedly I wanted more, but I would take what I could get, even if it was only for tonight.

…

We came in second in our go-round the first of our two scheduled days, and first on our second, securing our spot in the big show on finals Sunday. Sookie watched both days, sitting quietly in the metal bleachers for the slack events and wandering about the park during roughstock. She'd confided in me early on that she didn't particularly care to "watch a grown idiot strap themselves to an animal and call it a sport", and I couldn't say I disagreed with her.

We hadn't discussed what would happen at the end of the week. I didn't want to fight with her again; it was too easy to slip back into the routine of rodeoing by day and worshipping each other at night. After our two days of riding, Alcide and Maria had hopped in their truck and driven to see some of Maria's family in Laramie, leaving Sookie and me to our own devices.

We'd kept ourselves busy the first day alone, exploring the midway carnival and venturing out into Cheyenne for dinner. Practically every cowboy I'd ever met was in Cheyenne for the event for at least part of the week, though Sookie wasn't too keen on spending time with anyone but me. I didn't want to think about why that may be the case, instead choosing to indulge her request to stick close to the hotel.

We locked ourselves into our room, leaving only to scavenger for food and supplies. The sex had always been good between us, but something changed after our first night in Cheyenne. The frantic pace we'd always clawed at each other with was replaced by a leisurely exploration of each other. She surveyed me as if she wanted to memorize every inch of my body, and I did the same to her. There was an unspoken tension between us, keeping us apart and still driving us closer together.

Maria and Alcide returned on Friday afternoon, giving Alcide a full day to relax before the big ride in the final round. The four of us went to dinner and headed to the local honkytonk to let loose some steam before the big day. I pulled Sookie out to the dance floor, spinning her into knots when the songs were fast, and pulling her close when they were slow.

The DJ announced the last song of the night as Sookie's eyes began to droop. She rested her head against my chest as the opening strains of "Come a Little Closer" blared across the speakers. I felt her stiffen in my arms as she recalled our dance to the same song in Tyler.

"Can you believe it?" she asked, tipping her head back to look at me.

"Believe what?"

"That we've come full circle," she said with a wistful smile.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my grip unconsciously tightening on her waist.

"Oh," she said, sounding disappointed. "You probably don't remember, but we danced to this same song in Tyler."

"I remember," I said, so low that I could barely hear myself.

"You do?" she asked, her eyes snapping up to meet mine.

"Of course I do. I remember everything about that night, from what you were wearing, to the way you smelled, to the way you felt beneath me wearing those red boots." I saw the faint flush rise in her cheeks at my words and smiled. "I have never met anyone like you Bunny."

She sighed and rested her head against my chest again. "Me neither," she said, barely above a whisper.

We danced for the remainder of song in silence, the touch of each other enough to say what we needed to say. As the song ended, I pulled away and looked down at her.

"What are we going to do Bunny?" I asked, needing to know the answer. "About this. About us. Are you really willing to let this go?"

When she didn't say anything, I looked down to see her eyes squeezed shut, blocking something out. She looked like she was in pain, and there was nothing I could do to help ease it.

She finally opened her eyes, tipping her head back to meet my gaze and said three torturous words.

"I don't know."

* * *

**AN:** Next (and last) chapter tomorrow! Yay!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** As with the rest of this story, all characters are the creations of Charlaine Harris. I just slapped some chaps and hats on them and made 'em go to the rodeo!

**

* * *

Chapter 13**

**EPOV**

I left Sookie sleeping in our bed the next morning, the rumpled white sheets haphazardly covering her naked body. I had to find a way to regain my focus before the big event. I hadn't really gotten over the fight I'd had with Sookie weeks ago; the uncertainty about our future made me lose my edge, and I was getting sloppy. I needed to figure out a way to push that doubt to the back of my mind long enough to do my job. Cheyenne was too big of a win for me to be anything but fully prepared. Shit, Alcide would kick my ass if I blew it over trouble with a woman, no matter how much he liked her.

I texted Alcide, letting him know that I would see to his horse at the barns this morning. There was no point in him leaving his girlfriend alone when I could do the job just as easily. The highway was barren in the early morning light, the tourists and locals alike either sleeping off the night before or in town for the early bird festivities. It was good that way, less people to have to deal with.

I climbed out of my truck, nodding towards the other men that had the same idea as I did, and headed into the barn. Alcide's horse Longtooth was in the stall next to Charlie, and both looked well fed and rested. I went through the morning routine mindlessly, brushing both of them down before saddling mine for an early morning ride in the arena. There were very few problems I hadn't solved on the back of my horse; maybe I could figure out what to do with Sookie. It was worth a shot at least.

I wasn't in the empty arena for twenty minutes before I spotted a dark cowboy hat across the way. I changed my direction and headed towards its familiar owner.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, pulling up along the fence Alcide was sitting on. "Did you not get my text?"

"I did," he said, hopping down and brushing the dirt on his hands off on his jeans.

"Then what are you doing here? Didn't trust me with Longtooth?"

"Of course I trust you with my horse," he said, taking my horse's reins in his hand and throwing them loosely over the area he had just vacated.

He clearly had something he wanted to say to me. I hopped down and propped my hip against the fence next to my horse. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"I think I'm the one that should be asking you that," he responded. He didn't say anything more, just looked at me with eyes that appeared to know too much.

"I don't know what you mean," I responded with a noncommittal shrug.

"Eric, I'm your partner. I've been riding with you for fucking years. I know everything about you. Hell, I know when you haven't taken a shit. I think I might know when something's wrong with you."

I groaned, tipping my hat back to run a hand across my forehead.

"You might as well tell me, cause I sure as hell am not moving until you do so, and they might get a little irked if we're blocking the slack chutes for the rodeo this afternoon."

I looked across the arena, up into the empty stands that would be filled later this afternoon. Maybe talking about it with Alcide wouldn't be such a bad idea. Maybe getting it off of my chest would make things better. I hoped.

"It's Sookie," I said, still not looking at him.

"Ya think?" Alcide replied with a chuckle. "What about her?"

"She…we…" Well shit, how was I supposed to tell him that I'd gone soft over a blonde I wasn't meant to? "Cheyenne was the last rodeo of our arrangement," I said finally. Maybe straightforward was the best way to be.

"And?"

"And," I groaned, "I'm thinking maybe I don't want it to be."

"Aw hell," Alcide said, slapping me on the shoulder. "Is that all? Shit, she'll probably be over the moon if you ask her to stay. I see the way she looks at you."

Ignoring the last part for now, I shook my head. "I don't think so," I paused. "Well, actually no, I know she won't be. She's already told me as much."

Alcide was silent for a moment, his hand falling slack at his side. "You asked her to stay?"

I nodded. "Roundaboutly."

"What's that mean? You either asked her or you didn't."

"We discussed what would happen after Cheyenne," I said resolutely. We had discussed it. She'd made no move to stay.

"And she said she was ready to ditch your sorry ass?"

"Not in so many words."

"Then what did she say?"

"She said that going home next week was part of our arrangement; that leaving each other was inevitable."

"And you just sat back and took it like a whipping boy? Fuck Eric," he said, shaking his head with a low whistle, "I didn't think you were such a cream puff when it came to women."

"What the fuck does that mean?" I growled, pushing off from the fence behind me.

"That means that maybe you need to get off your ass and give her a reason to stay with you."

"And you'd know this why again?" I began pacing in front of him. "Who are you? Fucking Dr. Phil?" I snapped.

"No," he answered with a shrug, looking far too smug for his own good. Maybe I'd have to wipe that smirk off his face with my fist. "I'm your friend. And I don't particularly like seeing you like this. Listen, she likes you. I know she does, even Maria was talking about how good the two of you are together, and you know it takes something special to get her to admit to liking anything about you."

I smiled despite myself.

"You plucked her from some obscure town in Louisiana, promised her a road trip with a cowboy. What's she going to expect from you? She's seen enough on the road to know that most of the guys on the circuit cheat on their wives and girlfriends, going from town to town to find a buckle bunny for the night."

"If that's what she thinks of me after two months then-"

"Oh shut the hell up," he interrupted. I opened my mouth to respond, growling when he held his hand out to silence me. "Listen to me, and listen real good. If you want to convince her to stay, you need to tell her you want her to. You need to tell her that you're not like the rest of these yahoos. I knew Maria since I was seven years old and it took me eight months to convince her to even give me a chance to take her on a date. These women of ours aren't fools. You've got to show them what you want."

"I have," I said defiantly.

"You haven't," he contradicted. "You said yourself that you picked her up in a bar. And knowing you, I'm sure you came across as a full blown asshole."

"I-"

"It's part of your appeal," he said, cutting me off again. "You're the charming asshole that everyone can't help but like. You say things and do things that most men would get thrown in jail for, but that perdy face of yours there helps you get away with it. Sookie isn't like most of the girls we meet out on the road."

"I never said she was."

"No, you didn't, I'll give you that. You said she was different that first morning. And hell, the way you scoured the earth for her after that was proof enough to me that she wasn't just some piece of tail for you. But look, you've convinced me, but have you convinced her?"

I leaned back against the fence and shut my eyes. Had I convinced her? Obviously not. She thought I would drop her off and find her replacement easily. I'd told her she was different, but I supposed that was something most any guy would say to get into a girl's pants. I would have thought that these last few weeks on the road would have shown her that I liked her as more than a casual sex partner, but maybe they didn't. She'd been relatively innocent, no matter what act she'd put on in Tyler. She'd dated that one asshole, and had witnessed her brother for years. Maybe she figured I was just like them. And, as painful as that thought was, I couldn't say I didn't see where she was coming from.

"Fuck," I said, kicking the ground in front of me.

"Pretty much," Alcide said with a nod.

"I should-"

"Go," he finished. "Look, I'll take care of Charlie. Get your ass back to the hotel and show Sookie that you're serious."

I nodded, pushing myself away from the fence and facing Alcide. "That's… that's a good idea. I- thank you Alcide."

"Don't mention it," he responded, giving my shoulder a shove. "Take care of Sookie and then get your head out of your ass. I'm not about to lose the Daddy because you're lovesick."

…

Sookie was still in bed when I returned, the noise of the door causing her to stir awake.

"Eric?" she asked, her voice laced with sleep. "Where'd you go?"

I walked slowly over to the bed, stopping at the foot to admire the picture before me as I weighed my words. I'd thought about what I needed to say on the drive back, but being here, seeing her like this made all my well laid plans fly out of my mind.

"I went to take care of Charlie," I said.

Her eyes crinkled as she looked over at the bedside clock, and then up at me. "At seven am?"

I nodded.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. She sat up, the sheet pooling at her waist before she remembered to gather it back up around her.

"I couldn't sleep," I answered truthfully.

"Was I snoring?" she asked, pushing her hair off her face. "I've been known to snore after having a few drinks."

"No."

"Oh. Well, what was it?" she asked, her eyes full of concern. "Sit down, you're making me nervous."

I walked around and on the bed next to her, my denim clad knee touching the bare knee that wasn't covered by the hotel sheet.

"Sookie, we need to talk."

Her eyes widened. "About what?" she asked tentatively.

"About us."

"We already talked about this."

"No we didn't. Or, at least I didn't. You had your say, and I think it's only fair if I have mine."

"What is there to say?" she asked with a nervous laugh. "I thought we'd agreed to seize the day and not worry about tomorrow."

"I tried," I said, reaching out to clasp her hand in mine. "Really I did. I thought it would work, but it hasn't. Pretending that we don't have this albatross around our necks is killing me. I've tried to act as if it isn't, but it is. I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" she asked, her hand gripping mine. "What are you trying to say?"

"Sookie," I murmured. "Why do you want to go back to life as it was before we met? Why do you want me to drop you off and end it just like that?"

"It's…it's what we agreed upon," she said, squirming under my gaze, though never breaking eye contact. "It's what we want."

"It may be what you want. But it sure as hell isn't what I want."

"It's not?" she asked, looking down at our linked hands.

"No," I said hoarsely.

"Then what do you want?"

"I want to know that you're going to be around longer than a week for a start. I want you to understand that you aren't someone that I can get over. I want you to understand that I don't normally pick up women at bars and invite them on the road with me-"

"I know that," she interjected.

"Do you?" I asked.

"Yes," she said defensively. "You told me that when you asked me to come with you."

"Then why won't you believe me when I say that I want you to stay with me; that I want us to see what happens to us in the future, and not to cut it off before it can go anywhere?"

"Because it can't go anywhere!" she exclaimed. "I have to start school in a month. I can't chase after you. I can't be with you all the time; can't be in your bed when you're on the road during the school year. And there is no way that someone as insatiable as you is going to want to go for long stretches without having sex."

"Bunny," I started, letting go of her hand and shaking my head. "Sookie. It wouldn't be like that. _I'm_ not like that." I stood up and began to pace in front of the bed. "And it's fucking insulting that you'd think that I'd ask you to stay with me only to run around behind your back. Hell, I've been open with you from the get go. You're the one who's closed herself off. You're the one that doesn't want to talk about it."

"Bull shit," she responded, jumping off the bed and throwing the sheet haphazardly around her body. "Maybe I'm trying to protect myself, did you ever think about that?"

"Protect yourself from what? From me liking you too much?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes skyward. "Yes, I'm sure that's it. You, the good looking cowboy with the world on a string. I'm afraid that you might like me too much. You're the one that turns every conversation into an innuendo; you're the one that has women tripping over themselves to look at you. I'm not like you Eric. I don't know what it's like to lead a charmed life. I'm a librarian from Bon Temps, Louisiana. I am not worldly; I am not experienced when it comes to men. Of course I'm protecting myself from you. If I let you, you'd rip my heart out and stomp it like an angry bull without even knowing you were doing it."

"Sookie-"

"No. I've managed to make it this far; managed to tell myself that I would be okay with the memory of my summer with the handsome cowboy. I've barely been able to keep it together these last few days, knowing that you are going to ride out of my life. I couldn't handle it if I let myself believe it was more."

"But it is more Sookie," I said, stepping towards her and placing my hands on her shoulders. "You can't deny it. I don't know why you refuse to believe that this isn't some no strings attached fling for me." She didn't look like she believed me for one minute. "It may have started out that way, but it hasn't been that way for awhile and you know it. I don't want today from you Sookie. I want tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. I want you to let us have a fighting chance."

"It'd be too hard, Eric," she said, closing her eyes. "Our lives are too different."

"Sookie, look at me." She slowly opened her eyes, unshed tears brimming. "Who cares if we're different? Sometimes different works, and it sure as hell works for us. You have to know that I like you. You have to know that I'm not the kind of guy that would do that to you. Stop being so hard on yourself for a minute and think. The two of us work, and no distance is going to change that. I wouldn't ask you to be with me unless I was prepared to be with you and only you."

"Eric-"

"I'm not John Quinn. I'm not going to leave you at home and go bunny hunting. It's possible to be on the road and stay faithful; Alcide does it," I said, trying any argument that may work. "He's been with Maria for two years now, and she trusts him to be on the road without her. Why couldn't you trust me?"

"They're different."

"How? How are they different?"

"She's known him forever. He loves her. It's different."

"It's not," I said. "Who cares how long we've known each other? I know that what I feel for you is different than anything I've ever felt with another woman. I may not have known you as long as Alcide has known Maria, but I know I feel the same way about you as he does about her; I want you to be a part of my life. I don't want anyone else." I felt her body relax under my fingers and pulled her close to me. "I want you."

She burrowed her face into the front of my shirt, her breath whispering across the arm that held her to me. "Goddammit," I heard her mumble.

"What?"

"I don't know what to think anymore Eric," she said, tipping her head back. "I thought I knew, but I don't. I feel like I'm spinning out of control, trying to grasp onto the nearest ledge so I can figure out what to do."

"Let me show you Sookie."

She tipped her head back and looked up into my eyes, scrutinizing every inch of my face.

"Let me show you how good we are," I repeated, running my hands down the length of her back and pulling her bodily against me. "Let me show you how much I want to be with you, and only you."

When she didn't say anything, I continued. "Trust me, Bunny."

She nodded slowly. Her mouth opened to respond, but I cut her off with my own. I needed tangible evidence that she wanted this. Her words, while meaningful, would not quench my need to feel her response.

I anxiously nipped at the corners of her mouth, nudging the crease of her lips with my tongue for further explanation. I heard myself groan when it was granted, taking a moment to savor the feel of her mouth against mine, the taste of her on my lips.

"Eric," she whimpered when my mouth trailed to her neck, then further up to tug at her earlobe as I knew she liked.

"Yes?" I growled in her ear, teasing her with my tongue and hot breath.

"I want you too," she said between gasps. "Only you. From the moment I saw you."

My arms tightened around her; pulling her even closer to me than I thought was possible. She felt deliciously warm against me, a stark contrast to the cool air of the open room.

"I didn't let myself hope for more beyond this summer," she continued, pulling back to look me in the eyes.

"Bunny," I said, my voice sounding foreign it was so laden with desire, "I couldn't stop myself from coming back to you next week if I tried."

She let out a gasp as I tossed her bodily on the bed behind her, the sheet that had been precariously covering her body falling away in midair. She clasped at it, pulling it to cover herself up despite my groan of protest.

"Don't bother with the sheet. There's no point," I said, kicking out of my boots and slowly unbuttoning my shirt.

"Why's that?" she asked with a giggle.

"Because I believe the hotel instituted a new policy in this room." My shirt fell into a pool at my feet behind me.

"Oh?" she asked, scrambling up to the headboard backwards, never breaking eye contact.

"Yes. No shirt," I nodded towards her bare breasts. "No pants," I added as I released the final button on my jeans and pushed them down along with the boxer briefs underneath them. "Full service," I ended, crawling onto the bed until I was hovering over her. "Sounds pretty good to me. What do you think?"

"Sounds amazing," she said with a nod, wrapping her arms around my neck. "There's only one thing…" she trailed off.

"What's that?" I asked, pausing my mouth's trail across her collarbone.

"I haven't been serviced in," she looked at the clock, "five hours."

"I'll take care of that for you," I said, with a chuckle.

And I did.

…

The skies opened up the Sunday of finals, making the normally dusty arena of Frontier Park nothing but a sea of mud. While that was a hindrance for the bulldoggers, it was nothing to deter any roper worth their weight. We were the last team to go, having the quickest score from the go-rounds, and the 5.4 seconds that flashed on the screen were enough to secure us first place. I couldn't tell you the exact series of events that followed our win – the victory lap around the arena, the saddle presentation and photo opportunities. It all seemed like a blur, only coming into focus when we were able to ride out of the arena. The crowds were heavy as we exited the arena, everyone stopping to congratulate us on our victory. No matter how good it felt, there was only one thing I wanted to do.

I led Charlie over to the waiting area, eager to get off and find Sookie wherever she may be. I didn't have to go very far. Standing there, so wet from the rain that droplets were falling from her soaked hair, was the woman I had spent the last two months with.

"Hey there Bunny," I said, swinging off my horse and closing the gap between us in three long strides.

"Hey there Cowboy," she responded with a smile.

"I think the appropriate title is 'champion'," I replied with a smirk.

"Oh right," she said, with mock solemnity. "Hello there champion. Looks like you got quite a prize there," she added, nodding towards the large buckle on my belt.

"You could say that."

"How does it feel to win Cheyenne?"

"It feels good," I said, ducking my head down to kiss her. "But that's not the prize I was talking about."

She looked up at me and furrowed her eyebrows. "What? What did you mean?"

"You said I won the prize, and I did."

"And you did?" she repeated, sounding utterly confused.

"While the buckle is nice, that wasn't the best prize I've gotten recently."

"It wasn't?"

"It's a nice bonus," I said, with a shrug. "But I already had my prize before I even rode into the arena today."

"You did?"

"Yep," I said with a nod, lowering my face until our lips were inches apart. "I got you."

**

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AN:** That's it! Thanks again to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, favorited, etc. You are the only reason this story got an ending. Hope you enjoyed it. Now I've got to go lead Cowboy Eric to pasture. Giddy up.

Now, to all you faithful readers of mine who believed me when I said the new story was going to be up on Thursday? I totally lied. Next Thursday, without fail, you will be introduced to Sookie & the Surfer (Title TBD) :D


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